The invention is a method of measuring oxygen concentration in a package
having an oxygen sensitive product disposed therein. The method includes
exposing a luminescent compound that is disposed in an interior of the
package to light having a wavelength that is absorbed by the luminescent
compound so that the luminescent compound is promoted into an excited
state. When the exposure of the light is terminated, the excited
luminescent compound emits light that is detectable by a detector
positioned outside of the package. The intensity of the emitted light is
inversely proportional to the oxygen concentration and is used in
conjunction with mathematical function that describes the luminescent
intensity of the luminescent compound as a function of oxygen
concentration and temperature to calculate the oxygen concentration. The
method may be used to verify and track the oxygen concentration of a
package as it moves through a distribution system.