The “colorimeter” developed by researchers from the NIT, Rourkela and University of Philippines Los Baños tracks colour and temperature changes in real time 

 

RESEARCHERS from the NationalInstituteofTechnology (NIT), Rourkela and the UniversityofthePhilippinesLos Baños have developed an IoTenabled smart device to monitor the quality of ingredients in processedfood,accordingtoofficials.

 

The “colorimeter” tracks colourandtemperaturechanges in real time, making it especially useful for studying oleogels and fat alternatives used in processed food. The findings of the research have been published in the JournalofFoodEngineeringand the team has also secured a patent for the technology. Atthelaboratoryscale,theestimated cost of the device is approximately Rs 50,000, which is lower than that of commercially-availabledevices.Asanext step, the research team is trying to detect spoilage in food products early by integrating artificial intelligence into the device to minimise food wastage. According to the officials, many processed foods rely on solid fats for texture and stability, but these often contain unhealthy trans and saturated fats, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and obesity.

 

“To address this, the food industry has been exploring oleogels, which convert liquid oils into a gel-like form by using additives, such as waxes, plant-based polymers or other structuring agents, and offer a healthier alternative. However, they are prone to instability due to oil migration resulting from poor crystallisation,affectingfoodquality,” said Kunal Pal, Professor, NITRourkela, who led the study. Traditional methods to assess oleogel stability require expensivelaboratory equipment, such as electron microscopy, X-ray diffractionanddifferentialscanning calorimetry, and skilled technicians,makingqualitycontrol difficultfor smallfood manufacturers. To solve this problem, theresearchteamhasdevelopedthiscost-effectivedevicethatdetectssubtlecolourchangesinoleogelsduring crystallisation. “This colorimetric approachprovidesaneffectivewaytomonitor oleogel stability, without requiring complex instrumentation. The integration of IoTtechnology allows for remotemonitoring, data logging andautomated analysis, making it suitable for both research andindustrialapplications,”Palsaid