Detection of contaminants
The present invention relates to a contamination detector associated with a double bar code that includes coded indicia used to identify the presence of conditions indicative of microbial contamination, including toxic contaminants, bacterial metabolites, and other microbial secretions. Of the two bar code symbols associated with the contamination detector, the first identifies the product or container, while the second bar code symbol is designed to identify the presence of contaminants. When contamination is not detected, the first bar code symbol is scanner readable, whereas the second bar code symbol is not. Once contamination is detected, bars in both bar code symbols can appear or disappear causing the first bar code symbol to become scanner unreadable and the second bar code symbol to become scanner readable.
1. A contamination detector far identifying the presence of conditions indicative of contamination comprising:
a first coded indicia for identifying a container;
a second coded indicia for identifying a condition indicative of contamination;
a contamination indicator associated with the first coded indicia and the second coded indicia; and
means for changing the appearance of the indicator when a contamination condition is present, wherein the means for changing the appearance of the indicator alters the appearance of the first coded indicia and the second coded indicia.
2. A contamination detector as incited in claim 1 wherein the means for changing identifies the presence of a condition indicative of contamination including bacterial metabolites and toxins.
3. A contamination detector as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for changing identifies the presence of at least one of a condition indicative of contamination selected from the group, consisting of Salmonella sp., Listeria Sp., E. coli, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Camobacterium spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Pseudomonas spp., Shewanella putrefaciens, ciguatoxin and related marine polyethers, domoic acid and aflatoxin.
4. A contamination detector as recited in claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises an antibody attached to a substrate.
5. A contamination detector as recited in claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises a time-temperature indicator attached to a substrate.