Sniffing out salmonella

Researchers at Strathclyde University have developed an oxygen sensor which indicates how long the contents of food packaging have been exposed to air.

The unique ‘oxygen sniffer’ changes colour as soon as it is exposed to air, can be cast onto paper, plastic or foil and can be set to change colour after a predetermined amount of time – hours, days or weeks.

This means the public need never eat food that’s gone off again, lessening the risk of salmonella or food poisoning. 

What’s more, the sensors cost less than 1p per unit and can also be deployed in medical situations to detect oxygen leaks, in museums to protect artefacts in oxygen-free environments, in double-glazing or to safeguard tamper-proof packaging in banks.  

Professor Andrew Mills of the University’s Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry developed the sensor with support from PhD student Soo-Keun Lee.    

“Given the public’s interest in food safety and long-lasting, fresh food, oxygen exposure is a major problem for the food industry,” said Professor Mills.