Red/near-infrared/short-wave infrared multi-band persistent phosphors are developed by doping Pr3+ into MgGeO3 and CdSiO3 hosts, which emit intense, very-long-lasting (>120 h) persistent luminescence at around 625 nm, 900 nm and 1085 nm after ultraviolet light excitation. The penetration power of these three wavelengths in chicken breast follows the order of 1085 nm > 900 nm > 625 nm.