Package Sensor Technologies Will Help Reduce Food Waste

A presentation at a recent food science meeting outlined how “intelligent packaging” of food will help reduce food waste. Michigan State University adjunct professor Claire Sand said innovative packaging equipped with a variety of sensors will communicate shelf life, freshness and quality to consumers. Some, such as time-temperature indicators, are already in use on seafood and other food packages. New degradation sensors that detect spoilage can measure product decay and change color to warn consumers.  “We’re very close to being able to do this for a multitude of foods,” Sand told the Institute of Food Technologists symposium.