The team said their new AOS requires little energy and integrates sensing and computing units on the same chip. It detects food spoilage by employing thin zinc oxide films that sense even very low levels of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia gases that are high-protein food spoilage markers.

When investigators tested it during the spoilage process of chicken tenderloin, the system continuously tracked freshness scores and food conditions over time. The platform could be used for various applications by adjusting the gas-sensing materials and other parameters.

— Read more in Artificial 'nose' detects spoiled food and reduces waste at The Jerusalem Post.