Dr. Ing. Cuk Imawan, a physics expert from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, has successfully developed an innovative meat quality sensor in the form of a sticker-like indicator label. This invention was funded by the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education.

This practical tool is claimed to be more effective in addressing food security and preventing fraud by traders.

He also explained that the tool, called Frelabel, is similar to the stickers affixed to the plastic packaging of meat or fish in supermarkets.

“So, the model is similar to a sticker. You just stick it on the inside of the plastic packaging. If (meat or fish) is rotten, the label in the middle will be blue, fresh will be red, and very rotten will be slightly blackish,” Cuk said in Depok, West Java, on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

The plan, Cuk continued, is to distribute samples of Frelabel in several shopping centers in the Greater Jakarta area early next year. They will then be sold at around Rp1,000 per label.

Later, these stickers will also be socialized to the public, giving people the opportunity to try them out.

“This device can only detect the quality of fish and meat. This discovery is a food security measure because of its high efficiency. So, there’s no need to smell the product; just look at the label or sticker,” he explained.

Regarding how the freelabel works, Cuk briefly explained that the system works similarly to a detector. Its components are a smart dye and a foul gas detector. Therefore, this device should not be exposed to water.

“Because it’s similar to a sticker, you have to open it before using it and it shouldn’t come into contact with water,” he added.