Assessing the impact of electronic freshness labels on consumer behavior to reduce food waste
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Bioengineering
Abstract
AIM
The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to study the interaction of human subjects with novel electronic freshness labels in the context of reducing food waste.
PROBLEM
The freshness of packaged foods is estimated by the "useby" date that appears on the packaging. This date, however, does not reflect the actual state of freshness of
the consumable, because it is dependent on, in addition to formulation and packaging, the storage and processing conditions. "Use-by" dates, which are approximations, lead to substantial food waste by consumers as they do not provide information concerning the actual freshness of the product in real-time.
ELECTRONIC FRESHNESS LABELS
The Guder Research Group Imperial College has recently developed a new sensor technology (Barandun et. al., ACS Sens. 2019) that can measure food freshness in real-time and could replace the "use-by" dates to prolong shelf-life, reduce food waste and eliminate foodborne illnesses caused by spoiled foods. The sensors are printed paperbased electronic labels, that are applied to the packaging containing the fresh product, and detect gases released due to microbial spoilage of food in real-time. The sensors can be interrogated using near-field communication (NFC) enabled smartphones wirelessly and do not require additional hardware. We do not, however, currently know how/whether the sensors would be used by consumers when available.
METHODOLOGY
This project has two Work Packages (WPs): WP1 involves engineering development and WP2 involves deployment of the technology to community fridges run by the Hubbub Foundation to study consumer behaviour and potential impact on food waste. WP1: Currently the sensing technology developed is at its
early stages and requires extensive engineering development to create a complete system. For this, we will develop a mobile app, fabricate a quantitative wireless
sensor tag (currently the tags only provide on-off type freshness sensing but we would like to have a quantitative number that indicates freshness), apply hydrophobic
membranes to keep liquids away from the sensor surface and integrate into food packaging. WP2: The sensor tags developed will be applied to the food packages in the community fridges of the Hubbub Foundation. Hubbub will provide access to these facilities and allow us to study how consumers interact with these tags. We hope to understand whether the consumers choose to use the sensors for measuring freshness and how the freshness information impact their decisions.
OUTCOME
The primary outcome of this project will be the understanding of how consumers interact with the sensors and effects of spoilage information on consumer behaviour.
A complete wireless NFC-enabled spoilage sensor tag, that can be integrated into food packaging, will also be produced.
The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to study the interaction of human subjects with novel electronic freshness labels in the context of reducing food waste.
PROBLEM
The freshness of packaged foods is estimated by the "useby" date that appears on the packaging. This date, however, does not reflect the actual state of freshness of
the consumable, because it is dependent on, in addition to formulation and packaging, the storage and processing conditions. "Use-by" dates, which are approximations, lead to substantial food waste by consumers as they do not provide information concerning the actual freshness of the product in real-time.
ELECTRONIC FRESHNESS LABELS
The Guder Research Group Imperial College has recently developed a new sensor technology (Barandun et. al., ACS Sens. 2019) that can measure food freshness in real-time and could replace the "use-by" dates to prolong shelf-life, reduce food waste and eliminate foodborne illnesses caused by spoiled foods. The sensors are printed paperbased electronic labels, that are applied to the packaging containing the fresh product, and detect gases released due to microbial spoilage of food in real-time. The sensors can be interrogated using near-field communication (NFC) enabled smartphones wirelessly and do not require additional hardware. We do not, however, currently know how/whether the sensors would be used by consumers when available.
METHODOLOGY
This project has two Work Packages (WPs): WP1 involves engineering development and WP2 involves deployment of the technology to community fridges run by the Hubbub Foundation to study consumer behaviour and potential impact on food waste. WP1: Currently the sensing technology developed is at its
early stages and requires extensive engineering development to create a complete system. For this, we will develop a mobile app, fabricate a quantitative wireless
sensor tag (currently the tags only provide on-off type freshness sensing but we would like to have a quantitative number that indicates freshness), apply hydrophobic
membranes to keep liquids away from the sensor surface and integrate into food packaging. WP2: The sensor tags developed will be applied to the food packages in the community fridges of the Hubbub Foundation. Hubbub will provide access to these facilities and allow us to study how consumers interact with these tags. We hope to understand whether the consumers choose to use the sensors for measuring freshness and how the freshness information impact their decisions.
OUTCOME
The primary outcome of this project will be the understanding of how consumers interact with the sensors and effects of spoilage information on consumer behaviour.
A complete wireless NFC-enabled spoilage sensor tag, that can be integrated into food packaging, will also be produced.
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000703/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 2453729 | Studentship | ES/P000703/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2024 | Hong Seok Lee |
| Description | Acrylamide is a cancer-causing substance that is formed during cooking, particularly at high temperatures. It's caused by the conversion of free asparagine in the food, and reducing the content of free asparagine in raw food is essential in decreasing the acrylamide levels in processed food. Although various methods, such as adjusting processing temperatures or adding enzymes and additives, have been suggested to reduce acrylamide, these procedures may adversely affect food quality and taste. Consequently, it's imperative for food businesses to use low-asparagine ingredients to produce high-quality products. I have developed a novel, low-cost asparagine sensor, which can be used on site by food businesses. This means that food samples no longer have to be sent for asparagine testing, significantly reducing time and cost. The sensor incorporates Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for effortless, wireless operation using a smartphone. Simply position the smartphone nearby, and the sensor can be powered, and the designed smartphone app can quantify the asparagine content in the sample. This proof-of-concept sensor will, therefore, significantly reduce the cost and time of asparagine analysis and assist in monitoring the potential formation of acrylamide in food products. |
| Exploitation Route | This low-cost asparagine sensor can accurately measure asparagine levels in raw food ingredients. This helps food businesses reduce acrylamide levels, improving food safety and meeting government regulations. Its integration with NFC technology makes it easy to use on-site, reducing the time and costs involved in testing. The sensor benefits food manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and consumers. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | Food AnalyticsConference Travel Grant |
| Amount | £500 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 22/ 600324/ 01 |
| Organisation | Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund of the Royal Society of Chemistry |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2022 |
| End | 11/2022 |
| Title | Low-cost NFC-enabled asparagine sensor |
| Description | I have developed an alternative method to measure free asparagine levels in food samples. It is based on paper-based electrical gas sensors (PEGS), developed in our lab. PEGS are chemically functionalised to detect ammonia gas produced during the enzymatic reaction of asparagine in food samples. The sensor is integrated with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for effortless, wireless operation using a smartphone. By simply positioning the smartphone nearby, the sensor can be powered and able to quantify the asparagine content in the sample through the designed smartphone app. This proof-of-concept sensor will significantly reduce the cost and time of asparagine analysis and will assist in the monitoring of potential acrylamide formation in food products. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The developed sensor will significantly reduce the cost and time of detecting asparagine in food by food businesses. To date, the most common testing methods to determine free asparagine levels are gas chromatography or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. These tests involve extensive sample preparations and expensive laboratory instruments. Additional care is also required during sample transportation to avoid contamination or spoilage. Moreover, there is a long turnaround time because food samples need to travel to centralized laboratory facilities for their analysis. The developed sensors will accurately measure the free asparagine in raw food materials within a few hours and do not need expensive laboratory equipment. |