Pocket-Size Food Scanner Technology

Many products are thrown out simply because they no longer look appetizing or because they are past their best-before date. One of the projects concerns a food scanner designed to help reduce waste at the end of the value chain in stores and in the homes of consumers. In future, the inexpensive pocket-size food scanner will determine the actual freshness of food, whether packaged or unpack aged.

A mobile food device will allow consumers and supermarket operators in the future to test whether food items have gone bad. The pocket-size device uses infrared measurements to determine the ripeness and shelf life of produce and display the results via an app.

Using infrared light to determine the authenticity of food

The mobile scanner is a using infrared light to determine the authenticity of food (NIR) sensor that measures the ripeness of the food and identifies the amount. Precisely adjusted infrared emitter systems increase process speed, improve quality and save energy. Infrared light is beamed with high precision at the product to be investigated and then the scanner measures the spectrum of the reflected light. To be able to determine the quality of food based on the sensor data and the measured infrared spectra and compute the shelf life predictions.

App displays shelf life of food

More broadly, it is expected that the versatile technology will be used throughout the value chain, from raw material to end products. Its ability to detect changes in quality at an early stage facilitates alternative uses and helps reduce waste, but the scanner is more than just an instrument for testing food items. It might be better described as a general-use, cost-effective scanning technology that can be easily adapted. For example, the system could be used to sort, separate and classify plastics, wood, textiles and minerals. This pocket-size food scanner will be useful to employees, network of supermarkets and stores, which constantly monitors the expiry dates of goods. We can expect growing in leverage blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technology will help to accelerated digital transformation (DT) in the food and beverage industry.

Feel free to contact E-SPIN for the adopting industry transformation solution and require assist in the infrastructure, system and application availability monitoring, security testing and protection.