Researchers reporting in ACS Sensors incorporated a specialized breath sensor within the fabric of a face mask to detect metabolites associated with the disease. In initial tests, the sensor correctly identified people with the condition most of the time.

Kidneys remove waste products made by the body’s metabolic processes. But in the case of chronic kidney disease (CKD), these organs have become damaged and lose function over time, which can have wide-ranging implications on a person’s health.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 35 million Americans have CKD, and many more could have the disease without knowing it, possibly at an early stage. Currently, medical professionals diagnose the condition by measuring metabolites in blood or urine, but low-cost, low-tech systems, like the ones made from specialized candies, could make the process easier.