Manganese phthalocyanine for the detection of fish freshness by its trimethylamine emission

Detection of fish freshness has been demonstrated by a manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc)-based thin film gas microsensor. The sensor has been fabricated by vacuum deposition of two coplanar interdigited microelectrodes sandwiching the MnPc sensing material in a multilayered structure. The sensor response to gases evolved from the fish muscle increases with the decrease in its freshness. The freshness of katla (Catla catla) and pomfret (Stromateus sp.) fishes has been monitored with high sensitivity. Deterioration of freshness with storage time at 23 and 0 degrees C has been investigated. It is shown that the fish freshness can be monitored very rapidly with high sensitivity with the microsensor. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.