The technology, according to the developers at China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, is based upon sensor and measurement equipment that has been (and is currently) used in missiles and space equipment, and easily connects to a mobile phone device so the reports can be viewed in real-time.

In an interview with China Daily, Niu Ye, an engineer at the institute and head of the product development explains the purpose of the device:

"It can tell you whether the meat is fresh, or not so fresh and needs to be cooked well, or if it has already become spoiled.

"You open the device and an application on your mobile phone and then place the device very close to the meat for about 10 seconds."

The "freshness sniffer" connects to phones via Bluetooth, and detects and measures the presence of ammonia and volatile organic compounds to determine bacteriological activity in uncooked meat. The sniffer then analyses the results to judge the meat's freshness and displays its verdict on the phone app.

The app can be used with most meats, including pork, and is reported to have had 80-90% accuracy in the initial version, with upgrades soon to improve the accuracy and efficiency.

Click here to read the full China Daily article

^{Photo: Josh Minor}