An Edible QR Code Takes a Shot at Fake Whiskey
upstart writes:
This little silk tag with a QR code is a security measure that could reveal if the whiskey you're wanting to buy is fake. Simply using a smartphone to scan the tag, which was developed by biomedical engineers from Purdue University and the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences in South Korea, could confirm the drink's authenticity.
[...] The code on the fluorescent silk tag is the equivalent of a barcode or QR code and is not visible to the naked eye. The tags are also edible, causing no issues if a person swallowed it while downing a shot of whiskey. The tags have not affected the taste of the whiskey.
[...] Kim and Leem placed tags in various brands and price points of whiskey (80 proof, 40% alcohol per volume) over a 10-month period and were able to continually activate the tags and codes with a smartphone app.
One of the ways of bringing this issue to light is to literally shine a light on the tags. The team developed ways and methods for the tags to be activated by smartphones in a variety of light settings.
Kim said the tags are an additional authentication mechanism for marked safety seals on bottles or pills and could help by being placed in high-dollar bottles of alcohol or on expensive medications individually.
Journal Reference:
Jung Woo Leem et al. Edible Matrix Code with Photogenic Silk Proteins. ACS Cent. Sci., 2022. DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01233
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