No more smell test? Colour-coded tags detect spoiled food
Tuesday March 17th 2014
http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/no-more-smell-test-colour-coded-tags-detect-spoiled-food-1.1733603
The news article that I wrote about is colour-coded tags that detect spoiled foods. Researchers in china are discovering a way for people to know if their food is spoiled by a tiny gel-like tag, that sits on the container or package of food and changes colour to indicate the freshness of the food overtime. The tag would start off red - meaning fresh - then changes to various other colours: orange, yellow and green - meaning spoiled. The tags have tiny metallic nanorods that react and change colour when exposed to different chemicals in the air. The tags were tested with E.coli bacteria found in milk and can be used to indicate deterioration in food. They are expected to be relatively inexpensive to produce, costing less than one cent per tag. This technology could help both retailers and customers better predict the expiration date of various products.
As a consumer I think this is a very interesting product. I think most consumers have gone through a point in there life where they weren't sure if a food was spoiled or how long was left to be consumed or thrown out. This would definitely help retailers as well, they would know how fresh the food products they are selling are. Consumers would have more comfort knowing that the food they are buying at the grocery stores for themselves and/or family would be fresh and even in their own homes. Being inexpensive I could see these colour-coded food detecting tags having a great affect on everyone.
Honestly, I think that would be awesome! especially where I'm new with the whole buying grocery's and its hard sometimes to know if somethings soon to be spoiled like a whole pineapple, watermelon,ect. it would help the consumer also and cut back on wasting food .
ReplyDeleteThat actually is a very cool invention. I hear people say that we have all the inventions we will ever need then a creative mind comes up with an idea like this. I love hearing about cool new things on the market. This is a product I can not wait to see on selves.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting how these food tags can detect chemicals without being inside the container with the food. The only issue I can see with this would be the chemicals from food containers that are near the tags on other food containers. If they detect the chemicals through containers than what stops them from picking up the chemicals in other containers? It would be nice to know exactly how these tags work.
ReplyDeleteHowever, despite any flaws, I do think that these tags would be great! Foods that are stored in a can or a jar have expiry dates, but these dates are for the can or jar unopened. Once it has been opened, there is no set date! It would be wonderful to have these tags so you would be confident in the freshness of your food.
I can see these colour coded tags being used in the near future for sure, especially with the low cost to produce them! These tags would be great for meat and foods you can get really sick on if you eat them spoiled. As long as the metallic nanorods are safe, I would be happy to have the tags on my fresh food.
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