Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan have developed a rapid detection method for microbial contaminants in food that can identify the presence of certain pathogens by color. The new method allows for the simultaneous identification of multiple pathogens within just one hour.
The new technology uses the optical properties of organic, metal nanohybrid structures (NHs) of polymer-coated metal nanoparticles (NPs), which reflect scattered light that is stable in the air for long periods of time and can therefore serve as effective labeling materials. NHs reflect different colors based on the metal elements of their NPs; gold, silver, and copper scatter white, red, and blue light, respectively.