Red alert! The 'traffic light' gadget that analyses your coffee to tell you if you're drinking too much caffeine
- The detector works by exposing a caffeinated drink to a green laser which then triggers a chemical reaction, turning a small spot red, yellow or green
- High caffeine concentrations turn red while solutions with moderate and low caffeine concentrations turn yellow and green, respectively
- It is hoped the invention will prevent caffeine overdose, which lead to caffeine intoxication, with symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia
Do you know how much caffeine is in your drink? Most people give it little thought, but researchers in Singapore have developed a fluorescent caffeine detector kit to help you find out.
The sensor, named Caffeine Orange, provides a visualisation of the amount of caffeine in any beverage.
It works by irradiating the drink with a green laser pointer. This, claim the researchers, is not toxic. Users can then watch the solution change colour - green shows it is low caffeine, red indicates there are moderate amounts and red is a warning you might be overdoing it.
The system works by changing the colour of the drink when exposing it to a detection kit and then shining a light on it with a green laser pointer. Solutions with high caffeine concentrations turn red while solutions with moderate and low caffeine concentrations turn yellow and green, respectively
The group have also developed an automated caffeine detection kit which is able to purify and concentrate caffeine from different samples.
The lab-on-chip system uses a microfluidic technique - handling extremely small fluid volumes down to less than a trillionth of a litre - to extract and measure the caffeine.
By combining the fluorescent sensor and the detection kit, the scientists claim that anyone can easily tell the caffeine content in their beverages, in less than one minute.
Earlier this year a leading expert said caffeine is so dangerous and is being consumed in such high quantities that it should now be regulated. Dr Jack James claims that the stimulant is causing 'untimely deaths' and that its 'lethality' is being underestimated
‘Applying lab-on-a-disc technology to real life application with the novel caffeine sensor is very meaningful,’ said Professor Yoon-Kyoung Cho at the National University of Singapore.
‘We will continue to develop new sensors applicable to various materials utilising lab-on-a-chip technology.’
A caffeine overdose can lead to caffeine intoxication, with symptoms such as anxiety, irregular heartbeat, and insomnia.
According to regulatory agency, Health Canada, the average person can have up to 400mg of caffeine a day without experiencing negative affect, such as anxiety or heart problems.
The average allowance for a pregnant woman is 200mg, according to the Food Standards Agency, and 75mg for a 10-year-old.
STARBUCKS COFFEE WITH 'THREE QUARTERS OF THE SAFE DAILY DOSE'
large cup of Starbucks coffee contains more than three quarters of a
person's 'safe' daily dose of caffeine, according to a report.
16oz 'Grande' coffee is said to contain nearly double the recommended
limit for a pregnant woman, while a typical home-made 8oz cup of coffee
is well above a 10-year-old's daily allowance.
But scientists stress that such statistical averages can vary widely from person to person, with factors such as gender and genetics having an impact on tolerance levels.
tolerance can also be affected by other drug use, with women who take
the contraceptive pill breaking down caffeine slower, and smokers
process the stimulant faster than non-smokers.
A study by the government regulatory agency Health Canada concluded that the average person can have up to 400mg of caffeine a day without experiencing negative affect, such as anxiety or heart problems.
The average allowance for a pregnant woman is 200mg and 75mg for a 10-year-old.
In extreme cases, a large overdose can lead to hallucinations, depression, or even death.
Earlier this year a leading expert said caffeine is so dangerous and is being consumed in such high quantities that it should now be regulated.
Dr Jack James claims that the stimulant is causing ‘untimely deaths’ and that its 'lethality' is being underestimated.
Dr James, head of the department of psychology at Reykjavik University, Iceland, said he is concerned that the substance is increasingly being added to products such as energy drinks, alcoholic drinks and medicines.
As a result, many of us are unwittingly consuming way more than we think.
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