MOF-Derived ZrO₂@C for Real-Time H₂S Monitoring in Food Freshness Assessment

Abstract

Effective monitoring of food spoilage is crucial for global food security, as nearly one-third of the food produced worldwide each year is wasted and 29% of the population faces nutritional risk. However, existing gas sensing technologies suffer from high material costs, limited sensitivity, and inefficient data transmission. Here, we report a low-cost electrochemical H₂S sensor based on a metal-organic framework-derived ZrO₂@C-900 composite. This active material costs only US$0.09 g⁻¹, has high sensitivity, and retains 97% of its initial performance after 120 days of continuous operation. This device integrates Bluetooth transmission functionality to monitor H₂S release in real time as a biomarker of food spoilage. This sensor operates stably under high humidity and low temperature conditions, making it suitable for use in intelligent cold chain systems.

Keywords

food spoilage monitoring / H₂S sensor / MOF-derived sensor / wireless electrochemical sensing / zirconia sensor

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2026 The Author(s). SmartMat published by Tianjin University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.