New smart packaging reveals if food is unfit to eat
An intelligent food wrapping that changes colour if the contents are going bad has been created by scientists at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland – and could be in the shops within two years.
The smart plastic packaging detects when meat, fish or salad leaves have passed their use-by date or have been left out of the fridge for too long, and can also alert consumers if sealed packaging has been broken or damaged.
The scientists behind the breakthrough believe it will reduce unnecessary household waste and help significantly reduce the 8.3 million tons of food thrown away in the UK every year.
Previously, scientists have developed indicator labels which are inserted into food packaging, but the new plastic is designed to be part of the wrapping itself.
It works with that has been sealed in a ‘modified atmosphere’ – where levels of oxygen are reduced and replaced with inert nitrogen or carbon dioxide gases to slow natural decay. The new plastic is designed to change colour if levels of oxygen rise above a predetermined level. It also responds to chemical changes triggered by food spoiling.
“At the moment we throw out far too much food, which is environmentally and economically damaging,” says Professor Andrew Mills, who is leading the research. “Modified atmosphere packaging is being used increasingly to contain the growth of organisms which spoil food but the costs of the labels currently used with it are substantial. We are aiming to eliminate this cost with new plastics for the packaging industry.
"We hope that this will reduce the risk of people eating food which is no longer fit for consumption and help prevent unnecessary waste of food. We also hope it will have a direct and positive impact on the meat and seafood industries.”
According to the UK government, 364,000 tons of edible food are thrown away each year after passing the best-before date, and another 39,400 tons are dumped without even being opened.