Russia: Inventing an “electronic nose” to assess meat quality

It is worth noting that scientists have been working for a long time on creating different forms of “electronic noses,” which are ultra-sensitive sensors based on nanoparticles of new materials that can recognize specific volatile molecules in the air and track how interaction with them affects the electrical conductivity and other properties of these particles.

Based on this, the scientists decided to determine whether these sensors could be used to detect substances that release microbes into the air associated with meat quality and whether they could be used in cooking. To do this, they monitored how the chemical composition of the meat smell and the types of bacteria that appear changed over time.

During this follow-up, the researchers discovered distinct changes in the chemical composition of the meat smell and compared them to the changes in the types and abundance of bacteria. It became clear to them that bacteria of the Brochotrix, Psychrobacter, and Mycoplasma types play a major role in these changes and replace the types of bacteria that were initially present in the meat.

Based on these results, the researchers created an algorithm that allows identifying the quality of meat with the help of an “electronic nose” and determining whether it is suitable for cooking or not. In the future, this “nose” will allow meat producers and control agencies to accurately determine the condition of products and prevent the sale of spoiled meat products.

Source: TASS