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Australia: 'Rotten'
egg a cracking invention Source of Article: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/technology/rotten-egg-a-cracking-invention/2008/12/09/1228584785538.html Marissa Calligeros
| December 9, 2008 - 8:21AM A
small, egg-shaped device may become the latest weapon in the fight against
food poisoning, thanks to the efforts of a Queensland University of
Technology (QUT) industrial design student.
It
works in combination with a label that is integrated into the clear film of
hermetically sealed meat packaging. The label is coated in new ink that
changes colour according to the concentration of
various gases emitted by bacteria on the meat. "The
label will visually change colour through eight
stages telling you how fresh the meat is, as gas levels rise,'' said student inventor
Thomas Blackwell of his final-year project. "You
can then apply the Tetra-Egg to the label and it will advise you how many
hours remain before the food becomes unsafe to eat. "[It]
contains a spectrophotometer which analyses the light that bounces off the
ink on the label.'' As
well as preventing possible poisoning, Mr Blackwell
also hoped his invention would educate consumers on food hygiene. "There
is a dangerous period of time between supermarket and home, 25 minutes usually,
during which bacteria have the chance to multiply.'' The
current expiry date on meat gives only an indication of the meat's freshness
if it has been stored under the optimum, regulated temperature, Mr Blackwell said. He
said he expected the device would be used by those who were at an increased
risk to food poisoning, including pregnant women and young children. He
now hopes a commercial company will help bring the Tetra-Egg to market. Food
Safety Information Council executive director Juliana Madden said the success
of the device would depend on the user. "We all have meat thermometers but do
we actually use them?'' Ms Madden said. |
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