Bid to slash £10bn food waste bill
Major advances in sensor technology will help to slash the nation’s £10 billion wasted food bill, a leading think tank has claimed.
The UK’s Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (SIKTN) say new technologies will help to cut back wastage from "farm to fork" by detecting early signs of food spoilage.
Experts claim the sensors will be able to detect signs before anything is visibly apparent, identify toxins and monitor water and nutrient content in the soil to help improve irrigation efficiency.
"The production and disposal of food not only costs billions but contributes significantly to the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions," said Phil Cooper, director of SIKTN.
"New developments in sensing technology are helping to improve the efficiency of everyday processes, reduce costs and benefit the environment."
Mr Cooper highlighted a University of Manchester project to create a low-cost sensing device to help slash the UK’s food wastage bill.
The sensors will monitor critical factors throughout the food supply chain allowing producers to set more accurate best before dates.
A spokesman for the project said: "Currently best before dates are based on worst case assumptions. Most food is perfectly ok to eat days after its best before date."
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