Guwahati: Researchers at Tezpur University (TU) have developed an innovative, portable optical device that can assess fish spoilage using a smartphone. This breakthrough was spearheaded by research scholar Monica Yumnam, under the mentorship of Prof. Poonam Mishra from the Department of Food Engineering and Technology and Prof. Pabitra Nath from the Department of Physics.
The device, which recently earned the prestigious Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Award for 2023, leverages a polyaniline sensor—a pH-sensitive polymer—to detect ammonia emissions, a key indicator of fish decay. As spoilage progresses, the sensor undergoes a color change, which is then captured by the smartphone’s camera.
To use the device, the sensor is placed on the fish surface, inserted into the detection unit, and linked to a smartphone app that analyzes the color variation in real time, providing immediate feedback on freshness levels.
“This innovation offers a disruptive alternative to traditional fish quality assessment methods,” stated a release from Tezpur University on Tuesday.