Low-Cost, High-Accuracy Method and Apparatus for Detecting Meat Spoilage

This paper introduces a novel technique for the detection of meat spoilage. While highly accurate and reliable, the technique is a low-cost technique, and is, therefore, easily within the reach of consumers and retailers. The technique is based on the principle of detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released during the meat decomposition by means of certain chemically sensitive dyes. A group of chemically sensitive dyes are printed on paper in the form of a bar code. The bar code is then inserted inside the meat packaging. When exposed to VOCs, the dyes change their colors. A cheap handheld instrument is subsequently used to scan the bar code and instantly apply pattern recognition techniques to detect variations in the colors of the dyes. The instrument reports the condition of spoilage of the product within a fraction of a second.