What steps can be taken to reduce food contamination and foodborne illnesses? This is what an upcoming study funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation hopes to address as a team of researchers are developing a novel electronic nose (e-nose) for the purpose of identifying food contamination. This study has the potential to help reduce food waste by judging food based on its “smell” as opposed to its appearance in determining if it’s safe to consume.
For the study, the researchers will use a combination of the e-nose and AI models to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within food to ascertain its consumption safety. While current methods involve using AI to identify food contamination, the use of an e-nose provides an enhanced level of detection. Along with food safety, the e-nose could be used for a myriad of commercial and industrial applications, including security, robotics, and healthcare.
“Currently, we are mainly interested in pathogens like salmonella and E. coli, since they’re the most common and impact a lot of people,” said Dr. Taeyeong Choi, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Information Technology at Kennesaw State University and the project lead. “Over time, and through continued discussions with my colleagues who have expertise in food safety, we will continue to increase the number of pathogens we are able to detect.”
This study is based on Dr. Choi’s passion for food safety while an estimated 1 in 10 people worldwide are victims of foodborne illnesses annually, which includes approximately 420,000 deaths and approximately 30 percent occur with children aged 5 and younger. Therefore, studies like this can help consumers better identify food contamination and reduce the chance of contracting foodborne illnesses.
How will this new electronic nose help detect food contamination and foodborne illnesses in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!
Sources: EurekAlert!, Kennesaw State University
