Scientists develop cork-based sensor to detect sodium nitrite in beverages

The team at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo developed the low-cost device by using pieces of natural cork with the same material used in wine stoppers. Spotting even tiny amounts of sodium nitrite is important for food safety and quality control. “Detection [of NaNO2] in beverages, especially wines, is important for quality control, since its use is not legally permitted in Brazil and most countries,” note the authors. Sodium nitrite helps retain the pink and red color in ham, sausages, and bacon. However, the potential links to cancer motivated the team to develop a “simple, fast, and accessible way to detect the compound and ensure the quality and safety of liquid consumption,” says Bruno Campos Janegitz, head of the Laboratory of Sensors, Nanomedicine, and Nanostructured Materials (LSNano) at UFSCar. According to the researcher, the LSNano projects aim to use materials from low-cost platforms that provide added value while respecting the ...