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Personal Electronic Nose

Industrial machines that can sniff out spoiled meat have been around for years, but a new gadget, due to be released at the end of the year, will enable consumers to determine whether their beef, pork, poultry or fish is really safe to eat.

Called Peres, the hand-held device contains sensors that measure humidity, temperature, ammonia levels and 100+ other organic volatile compounds that are commonly found in rotten meat. Readings are transmitted via Bluetooth to an Android or iOS smartphone or tablet where an app indicates whether or not the food is safe to eat, potentially risky, or downright spoiled. In lab tests, the device has been shown to be 80-95 percent accurate.

With more than 76 million cases of food borne illness and 5,000 associated deaths annually in the U.S. alone, the company is banking on the public’s desire to be more certain about the safety of their food. They’ve raised funds to commercialize the technology (with an anticipated retail price of $100) through an Indiegogo campaign, achieving more than 150 percent of their goal in less than two months.

For information: ARS LAB, Ltd., Vilnius 02300, Lithuania; phone:  +370-655-62313; email: info@getperes.com; Web site: www.getperes.com

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