
A common problem in many of the households when we buy food and use it partially is the inaccuracy of the current labels when informing us of the safety and status of them. This is one of the biggest reasons why huge amounts of food are wasted throughout the year. To alleviate a waste of such caliber there are solutions such as those proposed by the so-called active or intelligent labels, which will allow to know, through mobile applications, if a product is suitable or not for consumption.
Accuracy in obtaining food information
Active labels can tell us if the foods that carry them have suffered some type of deterioration or alteration or if, on the contrary, they are in condition to be consumed. They can also provide other important information such as the nutritional values provided by the products in each case. This data would be obtained on the screen of a mobile phone – or any other device with an integrated camera such as tablets or laptops – by bringing it closer to the label in the mode of quick response (QR) codes.
With the arrival of technology implemented in smartphones or smartphones, it has been possible to develop smart labels without entailing large costs, an issue that could not have been addressed in previous decades.
Active labels will allow us to have a more exhaustive control over the food we store in our homes. These may dispel doubts about the state of the products that we have opened and left in a cabinet or refrigerator for a few days.
Solutions for food waste
These labels can detect changes in the concentration of gases in food, changes in its temperature, humidity and even in the appearance of microorganisms that may be harmful. When the product itself has exceeded its critical temperature, smart labels are activated by permanently modifying its coloration and providing the exact information of the date on which this limit was exceeded.
In the same way, this technology detects the presence of gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide. There are models that are capable of absorbing them to avoid, in this way, a deterioration in the food and protecting it from modifications in its colour, flavour or nutritional properties.
As we can see, although it is a system that is in an initiation phase, we can observe what its potential applications may be. Mere help to avoid massive food waste can result in great savings for family economies. We will remain expectant to know which are the first producers who begin to insert these active labels in their food.