Scanner will check freshness of food for shoppers

A NEW scanner that will allow shoppers check for themselves if food on shop shelves is fresh has been developed by an Irish university.

The system, which will use tiny sensors, will enable customers to accurately check the freshness of food without breaking the sealed package.

Consumers and shop staff will be able check the freshness of food by placing the product under a scanner.

‘Intellipak’ has been developed by a group of scientists, led by Dr Brian McCraith, at the research department in Dublin City University (DCU).

At the moment, the “best before” dates printed on packages are predicted by testing random samples of food, in a system which involves breaking the seal of some packages.

However, the growing demand for fresh convenience foods has led to a need for improved safety, project manager Dr Aisling McEvoy said: “This could help increase consumer confidence in food safety, which is of vital importance to everyone in the industry.” The DCU scientists found that packages using “best before” signs are not always reliable because they are based on predictions.

The new system will ensure that all packages can be screened at every stage from the factory to the supermarket shelf. The special sensor coatings are printed on the inside of packages, and can be read by a simple scanner device. Already the sensors have been fully developed and the DCU scientists are working on the scanners that will read them.

“One year down the line this project will be at a very advanced stage,” Dr McEvoy said.

The Food Safety Authority (FSA) said yesterday they welcome any development that will increase food safety. The product was developed at a 45.5 million facility at DCU, opened by the American Ambassador Richard J Egan this week.

The unit will house three national research centres and a faculty of engineering.