New Zealand's Rural News has reported the launch of a new label that indicates how ripe a piece of fruit is.
The revolutionary label, called ripeSense, changes colour depending on the age of the fruit it is attached to, and its designers say it will help shoppers choose fruit that best appeals to their taste or needs.
NZ HortResearch scientists Keith Sharrock and Ron Henzell came up with the idea for the label, which works by detecting aroma compounds given off the fruit as it ripens, changing the label through a range of vibrant colours.
RipeSense was developed over five years in partnership with label manufacture Jenkins Group and funded largely by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
“This sensor puts us into the realm where we can begin to develop packaging that gives the buyer instant messages, simply by the label changing colour,”
Cameron McInness, Jenkins Group horticultural manager, told Rural News.
At this stage, ripeSense is only being used on Green Anjou pears, but further research is in the pipeline to develop sensor labels for kiwifruit, avocados and melons.
The new technology could go a long way to solving problems such as shoppers squeezing and damaging fruit as they make their selection.
During September the new label was trialed in three Auckland supermarkets and it is now part of similar trials in Portland stores in the US.
“We see this as an example of a company stepping up its research, pulling in
expertise and developing a strategic relationship with a science partner,
HortResearch, to improve its own skills and capability,” said McInness.
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