Expired Food Warning

Are ‘best before’ dates past their ‘sell by’ date? New labels tell you whether your food is still safe to eat after you open the packet

Food packaging could soon feature a label that changes colour to let you know if it has gone off.

A British company today launched the smart labels that ‘activate’ when a package is opened and change colour using a traffic light system to indicate whether the contents are still safe to eat.

Pre-packaged foods like ham or cheese need to be eaten within a certain number of days of being opened – even if they are still within the use-by date.

Fresh thinking: The label changes from brown, to orange, to purple, depending on how edible the food still is

It is hoped the smart labels will cut food waste by preventing customers throwing out food they wrongly believe has gone off.

A typical Brit throws away around £700 worth of edible food a year, often because they are being over-cautious with open packets in the fridge.

Professor Andrew Mills invented the technology for the ‘smart plastic’ when he worked at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and has spent five years refining the idea.

The labels were launched today by Insignia Technologies, who say they have had interest from retailers and supermarket chains in the UK, France and America.

Each one will add around 2p to the cost of a packet of food.

Experts are also working on similar systems for fresh fruit and vegetables, food and drink in jars or bottles, and cosmetics such as mascara or contact lens solution.

Prof Mills, now a professor in Materials Chemistry at Queen’s University, Belfast, said: ‘It is a huge development for consumers and for the food industry. It has got real potential.

‘We have all gone to the fridge and thought “I can’t remember how long ago I opened that”, and we err on the side of caution and tend to throw it away.

Labels will ensure you know food is still OK to be eaten once it has been left in the fridge for a while

‘This indicator is focused on how long the package has been open. This is vital to prevent good food being thrown away.

‘It would reassure you that it’s only been open for a day, and it is fine to eat.

‘Anything that makes a dent into food waste is a good thing. The levels of food waste are
unsustainable.

‘It’s also brilliant for frozen foods that have been defrosted, as then the best before date doesn’t apply.

‘This has the potential to make a very big difference to the way we use packaged goods, whether foods or other materials.’

The labels work with foods that have been packaged in a modified atmosphere using carbon dioxide (CO2).

Each features a central disc bordered by three segments – a brown one for ‘just opened’, an orange one for ‘use soon’ and a purple one for ‘past best.’

When the packet is opened, the CO2 released triggers a timer in the label so it begins changing colour.

It can be adjusted by varying the thickness of a special film covering the label so it will turn purple for ‘past best’ at between two and seven days.

Insignia Technologies‘ chief operating officer Stephen Currie said: ‘It’s all systems go. I think it is fantastic. It is a real, genuine innovation for the food packaging sector.

‘It is something which can help restore shoppers’ confidence.’

The company, based in Newhouse, Lanarkshire, Scotland, received backing from Scottish Enterprise and private investors.

It is also working on developing a similar system using stickers which can be applied to items such as fruit, cosmetics or even pharmaceutical drugs.

Delicately flavoured goods such as coffee and spices could also benefit, as consumers could use the system to tell if they still taste their best.

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