Future is now? Microchips in food packaging provides cues

In yet another example of a story that sounds more sci-fi than real news, microchips in food packaging could warn consumers that the contents are nearing the sell-by-date, according to an article in The Daily Mail. An EU Committee in the Netherlands learned that this development is getting close to commercial development. The publication said that the chips could also “potentially alert the owner by sending them a text message telling them they need to eat the food.”

“Committee chair Baroness Scott of Needham Market told environment minister Dan Rogerson that one witness giving evidence to the committee in the Netherlands said: ‘We’re quite close to commercial production of a small chip which would go into packaging which would measure the actual deterioration of the rate of food,’” the publication wrote. “She said that the current convention of the best before date ‘assumes that everything’s equal; it just assumes that you all keep your food at the same temperature whereas this would actually respond to what the real conditions are’, whereas the computer chip could even ‘send you a text to tell you that it needed eating.’”

While there’s not much information about the technology itself, if the product does indeed get commercialized, it will undoubtedly help lessen the issue of food waste. Approximately 60% of household food waste arises from products ‘not used in time,’ mainly perishable or short shelf-life products, with a value of around £6.7 billion, according to UK food waste group WRAP.  The group’s research shows that how long food stays fresh for is a priority for consumers, but many are not making best use of the information on pack, or the packaging itself, to achieve this. Nor are they aware of the benefits that packaging can offer to maximise in-home shelf-life. However, there is a clear interest in packaging that can maintain food freshness, and in more effective on-pack messages about how to store food.

The reality is that it’s up to the packaging industry to help reduce food waste. Check out this graph from WRAP documenting this discussion:

Check out how much longer packaging helps food last. It’s not a myth: we as a society are better off with packaging. Now whether it’s through microchips inserted in packaging or developing new material that can help extend the shelf life, packaging manufacturers need to continue to find new and innovative ways for packaging to make a difference.

Source: http://goo.gl/B3C3l5