Food is often wasted due to real or perceived
concerns about preservation and shelf life. Thus, precise, accurate and
consumer-friendly methods of indicating whether food is safe for consumers are
drawing great interest.
The colorimetric sensing of biogenic amines released as food degrades is a
potential way of determining the quality of the food. Herein, we report the use
of genipin, a naturally occurring iridoid, as a dual colorimetric sensor for
both oxygen and biogenic amines. Immobilization of genipin in edible calcium
alginate beads demonstrates that it is a capable sensor for amine vapors and
can be immobilized in a non-toxic, food-friendly matrix.
