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View all search resultsCentral Java students develop smart lunch box to ensure free meal safety at school
Despite its simplicity, the device has undergone laboratory testing and earned the duo second place in a regional youth innovation competition.
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Alya Meisya and Felda Triana of SMA 2 Cilacap state senior high school In Cilacap, Cental Java, showcase their smart lunchbox and app designed to detect spoiled food on Oct. 2, 2025. Their invention aims to prevent food poisoning linked to the government’s free meals program. (Kompas.com/Fadlan Mukhtar Zain)
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mid a surge in food poisoning cases linked to the free nutritious meal program, two 16-year-old high school students in Cilacap, Central Java, have developed a smart lunch box to detect spoiled food, which has been used to test government-provided meals served at their own school.
Alya Meisya and Felda Triana, students of SMA 2 Cilacap state senior high school, said their idea was inspired by concerns over widespread food poisoning incidents linked to the free meals program.
“Seeing these reports, we wanted to create a device that can detect whether food is still safe to eat or has gone bad,” Alya said Thursday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
According to Alya and Felda, the device detects gases released by the food, as well as its temperature and color.
Read also: Stale and sickly: Parents fear free school meals
To use it, a food sample is placed inside the box and sealed. Within three to five minutes, the sensors analyze the food’s condition and, if readings exceed a safe threshold, the device issues a warning. The results can also be monitored in real-time through an Android app.
The girls equipped their device with two sensors: the MQ135 for detecting animal-based foods and the MQ3 for plant-based foods.
