Food Safety: Thermochromic Latent‐Pigment‐Based Time–Temperature Indicators for Perishable Goods (Advanced Optical Materials 9/2015)

The image shows microcrystals of anilino-squaraines, a strongly blue-colored kind of pigment. The material can be obtained in the crystalline form by a temperature-/time-dependent treatment, starting from a colorless and amorphous precursor. The process is irreversible and easily detectable by the naked eye. On page 1164, L. Beverina and co-workers describe how such materials can be used to prepare simple Time–Temperature integrators with applications in food safety.