Ultra-weak photon emission: a nondestructive detection tool for food quality and safety assessment

A new aspect covering interactions between cells and their surroundings via electromagnetic waves was introduced by applying ultra-weak photon emission (UPE). The UPE originates from the relaxation of electronically excited species resulting from oxidative metabolic processes and oxidative stress associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROS plays a critical role in the quality of foods, and their determination is of extreme importance. The ROS and the intensity of the UPE have significantly correlated. The UPE can be effectively monitored by specific instruments such as photomultiplier tube and charged-coupled devices. The current review is devoted to providing an overview of the quality of food products by the aid of UPE via evaluating the correlations between UPE and food quality indices. In this regard, the UPE can be utilized in food quality as a real-time, noninvasive, and nondestructive technique without complex instruments. However, the implementation of the UPE method for evaluation of food quality needs further investigations.