Out of Date: An intelligent food freshness label that can help tackle food waste

Food waste is one of the most alarming traits of Europe’s current food system. Shockingly, we dispose of a third of all the food we produce. Many factors drive this problem – however, inaccurate and outdated labelling systems for food has a lot to do with it.

To be precise, the EU estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food waste generated each year in the EU are linked to ‘date marking’ (i.e. "use by" and "best before" dates found on food labelling).

María Eugenia Martín Hidalgo, Co-Founder and CEO of ColorSensing, is on a mission to change this with her startup. Through their proprietary technology they are able to quickly and easily ascertain whether food is actually safe to eat – instead of relying on often arbitrary dates.

In this video, discover how her technology can tell you the truth about what is happening inside the food package: 

With EIT Food, ColorSensing has received business training and took part in our Innovation Grants competition. EIT Food supports startups at every stage of their development: from ideas to global expansion. Check out how EIT Food can support your startup here.

"With this intelligent label, we want to help manufacturers and retailers to cut down food waste and ensure the safety and quality of their products"
- Maria Eugenia Martín

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FAQ

What is ColorSensing?

ColorSensing is a Barcelona based startup, founded by CEO María Eugenia Martín, that has developed an intelligent food label technology to detect actual food freshness and safety, rather than relying on printed 'use by' or 'best before' dates.

How much food waste is linked to date labelling?

The EU estimates that up to 10% of the 88 million tonnes of food wasted each year across the bloc is linked to confusing or inaccurate date marking on food labels, such as 'use by' and 'best before' dates.

How does ColorSensing's technology work?

ColorSensing's smart labels use colour sensitive technology and QR codes to detect real changes in a food product's condition, such as leaks or breaks in the cold chain, giving manufacturers and retailers an accurate, real time indication of freshness rather than a fixed printed date.