An Auburn University researcher has been awarded a patent for a color-changing sticker that goes on packaging and indicates when a meat product has spoiled.

Invented by Burak Askoy, Ph.D., Associate Research Professor in Auburn’s Forest Products Development Center, the technology is based on a solution that senses gases emitted by spoiled meat. The coating can be applied to inexpensive substrate, such as a paper sticker. The solution can be calibrated with dye that changes color to indicate when a meat product is no longer fresh, enabling every business operator along the supply chain and consumers to be alerted to unsafe food, protecting public health and cutting down on food waste.

According to Dr. Askoy, there is already robust industry interest in the technology.