A unique device the size of a coffee grinder scans fruit and vegetables to make precise calculations on the food’s shelf life, or when it will start to decay. The scanner, developed by a British company, detects the molecular level of freshness of the fruit or vegetable and is now available inside supermarkets, supply chain hubs, and distribution centers. Each fruit or vegetable has its unique molecular fingerprint. After penetrating each piece of produce with light, algorithms detect the configurations of water, sugars, and other compounds like alcohol, and display its shelf life.
Currently, as much as one-third of the food produced tends to be wasted. A lot of fresh produce can spoil right away or soon after it reaches its destination. The food scanner is about the size of a coffee grinder and is convenient and easily transported between departments or stores. By using this food scanner, grocery stores can be more accurate when putting fruit on discount, or labeling “best by” dates. Stores will know when to donate to charity food banks before the produce goes bad.
