Electrode Polarization-Based Sensor for Real-Time Monitoring of Salt and Sugar Concentrations in Beverages

An electrode polarization impedance-based sensor was developed due to the increasing demand for accurate and non-invasive methods to monitor the level of sugar and salt in drinks. This sensor is based on the description of a reliable process of using a four-electrode system for measuring the levels of sugar and salt in various drinks. There are two pairs of electrodes in the system: the inner pair senses voltage, and the outer pair delivers a regulated AC signal. Ionic (salt) and non-ionic (sugar) molecules in the solution both affect the electrode polarization impedance (Z<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">P</inf>), and changes in voltage mirror these effects. As per experimental data, there exists a clear inverse relationship between the output voltage and sugar and salt content, which makes this method suitable for real-time monitoring of beverage composition. Sensitivity analysis of the sensor offers similar results for various beverages with increased sensitivity observed at increasing salt concentrations. The proposed method is a good tool for industry and research applications, as it presents a non-invasive, reliable, and cheap alternative to food safety management, health monitoring, and the soft drink industry.