Newcastle University has developed the UK's first 'artificial nose' capable of detecting when food in your fridge is about to go off. This high-tech device aims to significantly reduce household waste by accurately determining when groceries have truly expired, rather than relying on packaging dates.
How the Artificial Nose Works
The system uses sensor-enabled nodes fitted inside a fridge to monitor environmental changes. It measures temperature, relative humidity, gases emitted during spoilage, and ambient light. This data is sent to a database and compared with a fridge inventory, allowing the device to detect mouldy or spoiled food. An alert is then sent to a smartphone app, prompting users to consume items before they spoil.
Benefits for Households and the Environment
Dr Oktay Cetinkaya, a lecturer in sensor systems at Newcastle University, explained: 'One of the major goals is to provide users with statistics on how much they purchase and waste – with its economical and environmental impact – thereby encouraging a behavioural change, which is key to waste less in principle.' He added that the system functions as an 'artificial nose' by combining multiple sensor signals to detect early signs of spoilage, including odours that cannot be seen.
The Waste-Not! app, as it is called, offers a key advantage over existing methods. 'Its ability to fuse low-cost sensor data into an objective measure of freshness supports more informed decisions, improving both safety and effectiveness,' Dr Cetinkaya said. 'In contrast, existing approaches rely heavily on expiry dates, user judgement, or passive sensors that provide only limited air-quality information.'
Addressing the Food Waste Crisis
According to the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 10.7 million tonnes of food was wasted in the UK in 2021. Edible food waste from households alone was valued at £17 billion. The artificial nose technology could play a crucial role in tackling this issue by helping consumers make better decisions about food freshness.
The device has been tested across a range of food types, including fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy. By providing objective freshness data, the system aims to reduce the amount of perfectly edible food that is thrown away prematurely.
