A seventh grader in New Jersey has built a device that can monitor meat freshness by tracking ammonia gas released as meat decays. Sartaj Singh Gandhi, a student at Monroe Township Middle School in Monroe Township, NJ, created the Meat Freshness Monitor after learning that many people check the expiry date or smell the meat to see if it is still safe to eat.According to the Society for Science, Sartaj wanted to find a low-cost and easy way to check if meat was still fresh. He connected an ammonia gas sensor to a Raspberry Pi and placed it inside a 3-D printed specialty container. He then tested turkey, chicken, pork, and beef for 10 days. The sensor showed that ammonia levels in chicken, turkey, and pork peaked on day 6.
How did Sartaj Singh Gandhi build the Meat Freshness Monitor
Sartaj Singh Gandhi built the ‘Meat Freshness Monitor’ after wondering whether chicken in a refrigerator was still safe to eat. He learned that people rely on printed expiration dates or the ‘smell test’ to decide if food is safe to eat. He said getting that decision wrong could put someone at risk of food poisoning, or it could also lead to perfectly good meat being thrown away.He was surprised there were no low-cost, easy ways to determine if meat is fresh. Sartaj decided to create a reliable way to monitor meat and determine if it has spoiled. He used the ammonia gas released during meat decay to track changes in its freshness. He found that ammonia levels rise from 8 to 15 parts per million as the meat spoils.
The device tracked ammonia from four types of meat
Sartaj connected an ammonia gas sensor to a Raspberry Pi and placed it inside a 3-D printed speciality container to track the gas. He then put samples of turkey, chicken, pork, and beef into the device. He tested each type of meat for 10 days, collecting 10 samples each day.The sensor showed that chicken, turkey, and pork released ammonia during the testing period. Ammonia levels in these meats reached their highest point on day 6. The results also showed that each type of meat spoiled at a slightly different rate. The device allowed Sartaj to track the gas released by each meat sample throughout the testing period.
How does Sartaj Singh Gandhi plan to improve his Meat Freshness Monitor
Sartaj wants his ‘Meat Freshness Monitor’ to be used in home refrigerators. After testing turkey, chicken, pork, and beef, he plans to continue developing the device.His next goal is to test it on other foods, including ‘slices of pizza or a plate of spaghetti’. The project started with meat samples, but Sartaj now wants to see how the monitor responds to different foods. He also found that each type of meat spoiled at a slightly different rate.
The runner and STEM student aiming for a future in heart surgery
Sartaj also runs cross country and attends STEM summer programs focused on science and medicine. He said, “Often, your stomach is cramping, and you’re desperate for water, but you know there is only half a kilometer left”.“Embracing that physical grind allowed me to climb from a rank of 24th to 12th by the end of the season.”Sartaj also enjoys catching up on the latest sci-fi movies. He wants to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, a career that combines surgical precision with the physiology of the heart and lungs to save lives.
