A colorimetric gas-sensitive array sensor using filter paper for the analysis of fish freshness.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Assessing fish freshness is crucial for food safety and quality control.
• Traditional methods for determining fish freshness can be time-consuming and complex.
• There is a need for rapid, cost-effective, and reliable fish freshness indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel colorimetric array sensor using filter paper (FPCAS) for detecting fish freshness.
• To assess the sensor's performance in distinguishing fish quality under different storage temperatures.
• To determine the potential of FPCAS as a low-cost indicator for fish and meat freshness.

Main Methods:

• Screening of 16 common chemical indicators sensitive to trimethylamine, aldehydes, and sulfides.
• Sensitization and immobilization of selected indicators onto filter paper to create the FPCAS.
• Testing FPCAS performance on bass stored at 30°C and 4°C to assess fish freshness.
• Calculating total discriminant accuracy and cross-validation accuracy for different storage conditions.

Main Results:

• FPCAS demonstrated high effectiveness in detecting fish freshness, particularly in later storage stages.
• When testing bass stored at 30°C, FPCAS achieved 100% total discriminant accuracy and 63.5% cross-validation accuracy.
• For bass stored at 4°C, FPCAS reached 100% total discriminant accuracy and 93.3% cross-validation accuracy.
• The sensor utilizes low-cost materials, including filter paper and selected chemical indicators.

Conclusions:

• FPCAS is a viable and effective tool for distinguishing fish freshness, even under commercial cold storage conditions.
• The developed sensor offers a cost-effective solution for monitoring fish and meat quality.
• FPCAS shows promise as a practical freshness indicator for the food industry.