Author(s):

Bhanu Pratap Singh, Vivek Shukla, Hnialum Lalawmpuii and Sunil Kumar

Abstract: Modern storage facilities have made it possible to store meat for and transport meat for long distances. No doubt these practices are helping to tackle food security, but cold chain breakdown conditions open gates for abuse and supply of spoiled meat to consumers. Even though we can develop very good manufacturing and packaging facilities, a minute abuse at any stage of transport or in the retail shops will be sufficient enough to spoil the whole effort and providing unsafe meat to consumers. A large number of cases of food poisoning are seen due to consumption of unsafe packed food products including meat, making it necessary to track the freshness in supply chain. Estimation of freshness is of utmost importance from the point of food safety especially due to changing food habits when the consumer demands minimally processed products. These cases of food poisoning not only question the reputation of meat industry but also compromise consumer’s health. Most of the times these are related to abuse during supply chain which gives an opportunity for microbes to flourish. In recent years, intelligent packaging is emerging as a new concept for food safety. Intelligent packaging systems are those that monitor the condition of packaged foods to give information regarding quality of the packaged food during transport and storage. This information will be available to consumer as readymade through colour change indicators in packed meat upon spoilage. So if an intelligent packaging system is developed, it will be of immense use in meat sector for monitoring safety throughout supply chain benefitting both manufacturers and consumers. By this manufacturers can track quality and withhold unsatisfactory meat before they find their place in the display cabinets for sale. Whereas, consumers will confidently purchase meat without any doubt over quality simply by observing the colour change in the indicator placed along with packaged meat. Several indicator sensors have been developed using various dyes, indicators carrier and techniques. This review focuses on newly developed indicator sensors developed for real time monitoring of meat and meat products.

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