Detection of contaminants in food
AssigneeCalifornia South Pacific Investors
InventorsRobert M. Goldsmith, Catherine H. Goldsmith, James G. Woodaman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A food contamination detector. The food contamination detector comprises a first bar code symbol coded to identify a food product by a bar code reader, a second bar code symbol coded to identify contaminated food by a bar code reader, and an indicator printed onto a substrate which changes color when food is contaminated and causes the first bar code symbol to be unreadable by a bar code reader and causes the second bar code symbol to become readable by a bar code reader.
Claims55
A food contamination detection system comprising:
- (a) a food package for containing a food product;
- (b) a bar code printed upon a transparent substrate;
- (c) a food contamination indicator attached to said package and aligned with said bar code, whereby said indicator changes color when food becomes contaminated and alters the appearance of said bar code.
A food contamination detector comprising:
- a food tray for containing food;
- and
- an indicator in communication with juices from the food wherein the indicator comprises;
- a first anti-toxin attached to a transparent substrate;
- and
- a solution in contact with the first anti-toxin attached to the transparent substrate, wherein the solution comprises a labeled second anti-toxin and wherein the labeled second anti-toxin becomes bound to the transparent substrate rendering the substrate opaque in the presence of a toxin in the juices from the food.
A food contamination detector comprising:
- an indicator strip in contact with the juices from a packaged food, wherein the indicator strip includes markings which are removed in the presence of a toxin;
- and
- a bar code aligned with the indicator strip, wherein the combination of the presence of markings on the indicator strip and the bar code forms an intact visible indicator.
A method of detecting contamination in food comprising:
- (a) attaching a bar code printed upon a transparent substrate to a food package for containing a food product;
- (b) attaching a food contamination detector to said package, wherein the detector comprises an indicator which changes color when food becomes contaminated, whereby said indicator is aligned with said bar code and alters the appearance of the bar code when the indicator changes color;
- and
- (c) detecting whether the bar code has been altered by a change in the color of the indicator.
A food product package comprising:
- a tray in which the food product lies;
- a transparent wrap covering the tray and the food product;
- a first product information component disposed inside the wrap so it is visible from the exterior of the package, the first component comprising a first substrate and one or more first visual elements printed on the first substrate with a material capable of detecting a pathogen or toxin;
- and
- a second product information component disposed outside the wrap, the second component comprising a second substrate aligned with the first substrate without hiding the first visual elements and a plurality of second visual elements printed on the second substrate with a noncontaminant detecting material.
A method for packaging a food product subject to contamination, the method comprising the steps of:
- printing one or more visible contaminant indicating elements on a first substrate with a material that visibly changes when subjected to a pathogen or toxin to be detected;
- placing the first substrate in a food tray;
- placing the food product in the tray;
- wrapping the tray and the product in a sheet of transparent material so that first substrate is visible;
- printing a plurality of visible product identifying elements on a second substrate;
- and
- applying the second substrate to the exterior of the sheet in alignment with the first substrate without hiding the one or more pathogen or toxin indicating elements.
A food contamination detection system comprising;
- a first bar code symbol coded to identify a food product when contamination is not present;
- a second bar code symbol coded to identify contaminated food when contamination is present;
- means for altering said bar codes such that, when contamination is not present the first bar code identifies the food product and when contamination is present the second bar code identifies the presence of contamination.
A dual bar code system for detecting contamination in food comprising:
- an indicator which changes color when contamination is present;
- a first bar code symbol coded to identify a food product having an indicator area for changing the appearance of said first bar code;
- and
- a second bar code symbol coded to identify food contamination having an indicator area for changing the appearance of said second bar code;
- wherein when food contamination is present, the appearance change of the first bar code precludes product identification, and the appearance change of the second bar code identifies the presence contamination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.