Flash in the Pan

There's no doubt that the SensorfreshQ - which measures bacteria coming off uncooked meat or poultry - ranks high on the perceived cool factor, but the question is how much use it's really going to be for most people.

The device looks a bit strange. You basically hold this electronic nose up to beef, poultry, lamb, or pork right after you unwrap your future meal. Electronic sensors that can detect airborne bacteria take thousands of readings. By holding it right up to the meat and away, the device compares bacteria densities (at least, that's what I think it's doing) and determines how much is coming off the rump roast.

This is a hard device to review because you have to take on faith that the company realy does use international standards for bacterial levels, that the device makes accurate readings, and that you're using it correctly. There's no way a consumer can really verify the first two and on the third, it all depends on how accurately you follow the instructions and how well the company wrote them. You have to take the measurements immediatly upon unwrapping because otherwise (again, I'm guessing) the bacteria could scatter and render a false safe reading. You get either a green (good), yellow (eat within two days), or red (may be unsafe) light.

I tried this on some steaks that came from a BJ's Wholesale Club and got a yellow, which meant fresh enough if eaten within a couple of days. (One went into our stomachs that night and the other into a vacuum-sealed bag, which will be the subject of another review.) Assuming that the meter was correct (we didn't get sick), then it's a sobering reminder just how long food sits around before you buy it.

Unfortunately, the SensorfreshQ doesn't work with produce - which, as we've recently seen in the news, can be the cause of food-borne illness - or with fish. You have to replace the sensor tip every 200 or so tests, and I don't think that the device lets you know that time's up. I also wonder how many people would actively use this device everytime they unwrapped meat. Then again, the sensor's opinions are only as good as the way consumers then store and prepare meat. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses every year in this country, so perhaps spending a bit more time and effort might not be such a bad thing.

The SensorQ costs about $90 and it's about another $10 to get two replacement sensors. Each one is supposed to last about two months of "average" use, so that's $5/month past the initial investment. The Sharper Image carries it.