WO2018186761A1

WO2018186761A1 - Polychromic food spoilage indicating device

Info

Publication number: WO2018186761A1
Application number: PCT/PH2018/000004
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jefferson Vince C. EISMA; Jose Mari M. MONTEMAYOR; Jayne Eunice T. ARRIOLA; Samantha Jean R. TENGCO; Carmelo Yvonne DY; John Christopher G. DOROJA
Original assignee: Chromewell Innovative Solutions, Inc.
Priority date: 2017-04-06
Filing date: 2018-04-06
Publication date: 2018-10-11
Also published as: PH12017000117A1

Abstract

The present invention is directed primarily to a device for determining if a particular food item is spoiled or by extension, qualifying as fresh. Particularly, the invention is directed to a device with a synthetic enclosure containing a plurality of aliquots having the capability of non-contact determination of food decomposition or degradation through visually perceptible chromic alteration.

Description

Polychromic Food Spoilage Indicating Device

BACKGROUND

One of the problems faced by the general public, including families, small to medium food establishments, hotels and the like, is having no proper reference of methodological basis as to accurately, consistently, and precisely determine the status of freshness of a particular food item, wherein it may be spoiled or not spoiled. Conventional methods of determination include the utilization of bodily senses such as sight, smell, touch, and taste, which are not consistently reliable due to the subjectivity of the method. Poor judgment, succeeding said determination can lead to dire health and medical repercussion relating to food-borne illnesses that can possibly lead to life-threatening situations.

Typically, food items whether raw, unprocessed, or leftovers such as marinated meat, pork, poultry, beef, seafood, vegetables, and sauces for pasta and noodles are stored in enclosed polymeric, glass, metal or other food container material. The food container is commonly placed in conditions suitable for the retardation of food decomposition. This include placing food items in freezers, refrigerators, chillers, shelves or blast freezers wherein the food item temperature is lowered to a level that inhibits the cultivation of potentially unwanted microorganisms.

Once the food is stored in refrigerators, chillers or other storage devices, the process of ascertaining the quality and condition of food significantly increases in difficulty. Conventional methods will prove to be doubtful most especially for foods that exhibit similar traits with the usual determinants of food spoilage, or those that exhibit little to no spoilage signs. Wrongful judgment can lead to two possible scenarios wherein good food is either put to waste and is denied of potential consumption, or spoiled food is wrongfully consumed at the expense of jeopardizing the health or life of the consumer. Given this problem, there is a need for an objective determinant of food spoilage that is able to accurately, consistently and precisely determine the status of the quality of food with regard to spoilage at the quick glance of an eye, thereby removing the ambiguity posed by food spoilage using conventional ordinary senses. Such device should also be made of non-toxic or low toxicity materials so as not to pose as a threat to the health of the consumer.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed at a device that is able to address the need to objectively determine food spoilage. The device is composed of a polymer manifold enclosure containing a plurality of aliquots, and having the capability to determine presence of gaseous substances emanated by the food that is present in the atmospheric internal environment of the food container, without contact with the food item itself.

The device at hand is composed of two components. The first component is a solution that is of poly-chromic nature and is sensitive to the variations in the atmospheric internal environment of the food container. The indicator solution first component is a homogenous solution of an atmospherically sensitive alkaline substance, a poly-chromic indicative agent, and deionized distilled dihydrogen monoxide.

The second component is a polymer enclosure which must be a pliant, transparent and solid material, functioning as an enclosure or shielding agent to separate the first component from the internal environment of the food container and the food itself. The polymer enclosure material must be a thin layer or film-like, and capable of withholding the indicator solution first component solution, but is semi-permeable to allow volatile emissions of food decomposition or degradation to interact with the indicator solution first component. The primary utility of the present invention is the ability to determine spoilage in a wide range of food variants. The detection method is achieved through the ability of the first component to interact and react with the atmospheric internal environment of the food container. The response of the alkaline solution of the first component will increase the level of dissociated hydronium ions in the indicator solution, triggering a chromic alteration in the poly-chromic agent to visually represent the spoilage of the food item. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The device of the present invention can be better understood with a detailed description of the drawings that are accompanying this document.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a specific embodiment of the present invention as viewed from an angle above of the device plane.

FIG. 2 is a back view of a specific embodiment of the present invention as viewed from an angle below the device plane. FIG. 3 is a side view of a specific embodiment of the present invention as viewed parallel and at eye level of the device plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates the front view of the device showing both the indicator solution first component 1, and the thin and transparent polymer enclosure 2. The indicator solution first component 1 is comprised of three chemical compounds, namely: the emission- sensitive alkaline dissociated compound, the poly-chromic indicative agent, and deionized dihydrogen monoxide.

The alkaline compound is typically commercially available in powder form, which can be mixed and dissociated in a dihydrogen monoxide solvent. The alkaline compound can be any of the following: KOH, Sr(OH)₂, Ca(OH)₂, Ba(OH) ₂ or RbOH, which can react with acidic gaseous compounds emitted during food decomposition or degradation. The reaction increases the level of dissociated hydronium ions in the indicator solution first component 1.

The poly-chromic indicative agent present in the indicator solution first component 1 will change in color appearance that is readily apparent to the naked eye. Poly-chromic indicative agents that would be effective are those with the effective range of 7.4 - 10.0, that includes C20H14O4, C28HieO4, C21H18O5S and C22H18O24. The poly-chromic indicative agent is added in minute amounts, typically around 1 to 2 drops. These poly-chromic indicative agents shift their chromic properties when the hydroxide-rich indicator solution first component 1 changes to become hydronium-rich. The change in chromic property of the indicator solution first component 1 is readily noticeable by a simple visual observation.

95 Since the indicator solution first component 1 is in liquid phase at room temperature, the same needs to be enclosed inside a thin and transparent polymer enclosure 2 to prevent the indicator solution from spilling and direct contact with the food. The said polymeric enclosure 2 also needs to have the special property of gas permeability, while being non- permeable to the indicator solution first component 1. The gas permeability is enhanced loo if the polymer enclosure is kept thin or film-like. This property of the polymer enclosure allows volatile gas particles compounds emanated from the degradation of food to pass through the polymer enclosure, while keeping in the indicator solution first component 1 that is liquid and prevented from leaking out. Possible polymer enclosure materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE).

105 The spoilage of various food items such as cooked rice, steamed fish, fried chicken, pasta, boiled carrots, steamed and water spinach can be detected using the device of the present invention. In order to avoid direct contact of the food spoilage indicating device with food, the device can be attached to the underside portion of the top lid or surface of the food container using the adhesive device 3. no Through several experimental tests, the food spoilage indicating device changed its color from purple to yellow after varying periods of time ranging from 1.5 weeks to a month, depending on the food sample. A sensory analysis by taste or smell of the food sample after the food spoilage indicating device changed color showed that the food product was already indeed spoiled and unfit for human consumption.

115 Experiments were also conducted by varying the volume of the food sample in relation to the total volume of the container. It was surprisingly found out that the color change is most accurate when the food volume is between 50% to 80% of the total volume of the food container.

120 its color from purple to yellow. A sensory analysis of the rice sample was conducted through smell and taste testing where it was found out that the rice sample was indeed 155 already spoiled and unfit for human consumption.

The present invention was also tested on other food items such as steamed fish, fried chicken, pasta, boiled carrots, steamed and water spinach. Through several experimental tests, the food spoilage indicating device changed its color from purple to yellow after varying periods of time ranging from 1.5 weeks to 1 month, depending on the food sample.

160 Experiments were also conducted by varying the volume of the food sample in relation to the total volume of the container. It was surprisingly found out that the color change is most accurate when the food volume is between 50% to 80% of the total volume of the food container.

165

Claims

A food spoilage indicating device composed of an indicator solution further composed of KOH, Sr(OH)2, Ca(OH)2, Ba(OH) 2 or RbOH alkaline compound, C2oH₁₄0₄, C28H18O , C21 H18O5S or C22H18O24 as polychromic agent and dihydrogen oxide, wherein the indicator solution is enclosed inside a polymeric enclosure made of polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene or polyethylene.

The use of a food spoilage indicating device in Claim 1 to determine fitness for human consumption of food by placing the said device inside a food container. The use of a food spoilage indicating device in Claim 2 wherein the food volume is between 50% to 80% of the total food container volume.