We’ve all been there – you go to make yourself a cup of tea, only to discover that the milk has gone past its ‘best before’ date.
But the days of having to opt for a milkless cuppa could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new food label.
Scientists have developed a temperature-sensitive tag, which reveals if your food is safe to eat in real-time.
The tag, dubbed the ‘Bump Tag’, lies smooth on your food if it’s fine to consume, while pointy bumps form if it’s destined for the bin.
The researchers hope the tag could help to tackle the rising issue of food waste in Britain.
Researchers from the University of Reading have collaborated with Mimica on a temperature-sensitive tag, which reveals if your food is safe to eat in real-time
Food waste is a huge issue in the UK, with figures showing that a shocking 9.5 million tonnes are produced in the UK every year.
The vast majority of this waste ends up in landfill sites where it releases methane gas – contributing heavily to global warming.
In the hopes of combating this increasing issue, researchers from the University of Reading have collaborated with London-based start-up, Mimica.
Mimica’s Bump Tag is a temperature-sensitive, tactile label, which produes real-time information on food freshness.
The label is designed to be used on beverages, dairy, meat, or seafood, and contains a plant-based gel.
Mimica’s Bump Tag is a temperature-sensitive, tactile label, which produes real-time information on food freshness
If the tests prove to be successful, the researchers believe the stickers have the potential to reduce home food waste by up to 63 per cent, and retail waste by 50 per cent (stock image)
This gel degrades at the same rate as the food spoils, and reacts to changes of temperature.
At the beginning of its life, the gel is liquid, which means the label feels solid and smooth under the finger.
But by the end of its life – and when the food is no longer safe to eat – the gel solidifies, revealing the bumps underneath.
‘Bump helps print longer expiry dates by considering realistic storage conditions, rather than the worst-case scenarios used by the current expiry date system,’ explained Solveiga Pakštaitė, Founder & Director at Mimica.
‘We already know it offers significant economic and sustainability benefits for producers, but consumer support is essential for its success.
‘This project will not only deliver our food waste saving technology into the meat and fish industries but also measure how well it helps people make more sustainable food choices.’
The label is fully recyclable, and can simply be recycled while still stuck onto the food packaging.
Through the collaboration with the University of Reading, the researchers will conduct a series of tests to evaluate whether the label will be effective with consumers.
Dr Rachel McCloy, lead researcher from the University of Reading, explained: ‘Our role in this project is really important in understanding how new technologies can support consumer decisions.
‘We’re excited to be contributing to this research, which aims to help significantly reduce food waste across Europe.
‘Ultimately, we want to see innovations like this contribute to a more sustainable food system.’
If the tests prove to be successful, the researchers believe the stickers have the potential to reduce home food waste by up to 63 per cent, and retail waste by 50 per cent.
‘By working alongside innovative companies like Mimica, we can help develop solutions that support consumers in making choices that are good for the environment and their pocket,’ Dr McCloy added.
