Brazilians Create Smart Packaging That Changes Color When Fish Is Spoiled

Written by Roberta Souza

Published on 02/06/2025 at 21:31

Foto: IA

Be the first to react!

Innovation Uses Natural Cabbage Colorant to Alert About the Deterioration of Perishable Food

Imagine never having to open the packaging to find out if the fish is fresh or spoiled. Sounds like science fiction? Well, this innovation is 100% real — and Brazilian! Scientists from Embrapa, in partnership with the University of Illinois, developed a smart packaging capable of changing color when detecting the onset of fish deterioration. The idea could revolutionize the food industry and drastically reduce food waste, according to the site Engenharia 360.

The Science Behind the Magic Packaging

The secret of the scientists lies in anthocyanins, natural pigments found in red cabbage. They react to the pH of the environment, meaning they change color as the food degrades. With this technology, the packaging transforms into a kind of “freshness traffic light”:

Purple: Fresh fish.
Blueish: Beginning of deterioration.
Dark Blue: Spoiled product.

This chemical reaction not only detects acidity variations but also volatile compounds released by growing bacteria, making the system even more reliable.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Biodegradable and Sustainable Packaging

The nanofiber mats used in the packaging were produced by solution blow spinning, a faster and more economical technique than traditional methods, with low energy consumption. One more positive point: the process can recycle food waste as raw material, promoting a circular economy.

When Will the Technology Be Available?

Despite the promising tests by the scientists, the technology has not yet reached the market. Researchers continue investigating the effectiveness in other types of food and the ideal conditions for transport and storage. Partnerships with companies and approval from regulatory bodies are also on the radar.

But one thing is certain: the future of food will be smarter, safer, and more sustainable. And with Brazilian technology leading the way.

Brazilians Create Smart Packaging That Changes Color When Fish Is Spoiled

Innovation Uses Natural Cabbage Colorant to Alert About the Deterioration of Perishable Food

The Science Behind the Magic Packaging

Biodegradable and Sustainable Packaging

When Will the Technology Be Available?

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

While communities suffer from water scarcity and the advancing desert, women in Morocco use nets high up in the mountains to trap fog droplets, fill reservoirs, and transport drinking water through more than 10 km of piping.

China has begun the second phase of energy assistance to Cuba with a 120 MW solar generation plan, and the first result is a photovoltaic park with batteries that regulates voltage, controls frequency, and provides local autonomy to an island suffocated by chronic blackouts.

Germany installed vertical solar panels on a lake in Bavaria, and the result broke conventional logic: instead of producing energy at midday peak, the plant generates more early in the morning and in the evening, exactly when families turn on appliances and factories are in full swing.

U.S. Navy unveils $65.8 billion Golden Fleet plan with 122 ships and 63 unmanned platforms in naval race against China

The secret behind the Chinese construction that seems impossible: digital models, thousands of workers, quick decisions, and gigantic projects coming off the drawing board in record time.

With the new law, drivers and MEIs will have 6 months to start paying for a 90,000 car in 72 installments.

Senatran oversees the implementation of the CNH do Brasil at Detran-SP and targets 1 million candidates from São Paulo for their first license after the new rule.

Highway passes through a 16-story building in Osaka, going between offices without touching the structure and turning a land dispute into a unique urban attraction in Japan seen by curious tourists.

Brazilians Create Smart Packaging That Changes Color When Fish Is Spoiled

Innovation Uses Natural Cabbage Colorant to Alert About the Deterioration of Perishable Food

The Science Behind the Magic Packaging

Biodegradable and Sustainable Packaging

When Will the Technology Be Available?

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

While communities suffer from water scarcity and the advancing desert, women in Morocco use nets high up in the mountains to trap fog droplets, fill reservoirs, and transport drinking water through more than 10 km of piping.

China has begun the second phase of energy assistance to Cuba with a 120 MW solar generation plan, and the first result is a photovoltaic park with batteries that regulates voltage, controls frequency, and provides local autonomy to an island suffocated by chronic blackouts.

Germany installed vertical solar panels on a lake in Bavaria, and the result broke conventional logic: instead of producing energy at midday peak, the plant generates more early in the morning and in the evening, exactly when families turn on appliances and factories are in full swing.

The secret behind the Chinese construction that seems impossible: digital models, thousands of workers, quick decisions, and gigantic projects coming off the drawing board in record time.

The USA is testing drones that can neutralize shooters in schools in less than a minute. The idea came about after the company’s founder observed how effective drones were in warfare.

Ship from China arrives at the Port of Manaus with 5,000 tons of cables and marks a new phase of subfluvial internet after logistical operation, transshipment of optical fiber, and advancement of Norte Conectado in the Amazon.

Brazil will install 13,200 km of fiber optic cables in the Amazon rivers to bring internet to 70 locations and 7.5 million people.

An appliance that many people leave on during summer nights can consume up to 634 kWh per month, add more than R$ 560 to the electricity bill, and still incur higher costs due to incorrect temperature settings and a dirty filter, technicians warn.

U.S. Navy unveils $65.8 billion Golden Fleet plan with 122 ships and 63 unmanned platforms in naval race against China

The secret behind the Chinese construction that seems impossible: digital models, thousands of workers, quick decisions, and gigantic projects coming off the drawing board in record time.

With the new law, drivers and MEIs will have 6 months to start paying for a 90,000 car in 72 installments.

Senatran oversees the implementation of the CNH do Brasil at Detran-SP and targets 1 million candidates from São Paulo for their first license after the new rule.

Highway passes through a 16-story building in Osaka, going between offices without touching the structure and turning a land dispute into a unique urban attraction in Japan seen by curious tourists.