| Abstract: |
Researchers have designed a laser-based sensor that can detect counterfeit olive oil labelled as extra virgin or protected designation of origin. The tool, described in the journal Talanta, can distinguish between apparently similar oils that present notable differences in quality. This is possible thanks to the use of laser diodes because the fluorescence emitted by adulterated oils is slightly different to that of pure extra virgin olive oils. The 3D-printed tool is inexpensive both to use and to manufacture, said researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) in Spain and the Scintillon Institute in the US. " Other clear advantages of our tool include the possibility of conducting on-site analyses, because the equipment is the size of a briefcase and therefore portable, and of generating results in real time," said Jose S Torrecilla, a senior lecturer at the UCM. |
