The new technology, described in the research journal ACS Nano, has the potential to replace the traditional “best before” date on food and drinks alike with a definitive indication that it’s time to chuck that roast or pour out that milk. If a pathogen is present in the food or drink inside the package, the patch would trigger a signal in the packaging that could be read by a smartphone or other simple device. The test itself does not affect the contents of the package. The same technology could also be used in other applications, such as bandages to indicate if wounds are infected, or for wrapping surgical instruments to assure they are sterile.

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