Food spoilage detection in refrigeration systems using methane sensors

• Main Authors: Caponpon, Neil Zen S., Lim, Kevin M., Mondok, Lester Jay H.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Subjects: Food spoilage; Food poisoning; Food > Storage; Refrigerated foods; Detectors; Methane
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/7746
• Institution: De La Salle University

Food poisoning is a prevailing problem in our world today. [1] One of the factors that causes food poisoning is spoiled food products that are consumed by people. The research project aims to prevent food poisoning cases by detecting food spoilage in food stored in refrigeration systems. This is done by using highly sensitive methane gas sensors that are more commonly used for detecting gas leaks. Normally, people only realize that their food is dangerous to eat when they can smell the foul odor of rotten food, which is not a reliable way of judging food. Bacteria can be present even without the rotten smell. The sensors are used to detect the methane gas that is produced when food spoils. When the methane level inside the refrigeration system increases, this indicates that there is food inside the refrigeration system that is spoiled. When organic matter rots or spoils, there are different gases that are produced from this decomposition process. One of these gases is methane. Methane is a colorless and odorless gas that is flammable in the right concentrations. This dangerous flammability of methane has resulted in the continuing research into methane sensors with higher sensitivity and selectivity.