KEEP-IT

"Our goal is to take better care of our food and to reduce food waste by working in partnership with food producers, food retailers, food authorities and the consumer. Traditional food date labeling is a major contributor to food waste today. New and smart food technology tools, like the shelf life indicator Keep-it, has the potential to reduce this unwanted food waste dramatically."

Kristen A. Hovland

CEO

KEEP-IT SHELF LIFE INDICATOR: FOOD CONDITION IN REALTIME CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING TEMPERATURE

Keep-it is a real time shelf life indicator that will show you exactly how many shelf life days your food has left before it must be consumed. A solution inside the indicator is calibrated exactly according to the shelf life profile of a specific product and will count down number of days left before expiry shown on a scale on the indicator based on the actual temperature exposure to the product.

Using the indicator on food can reduce food waste very effectively, because shelf life is all about temperature exposure. Only a small temperature change from 2 to 6 degrees average can change the shelf life of a chicken breast with as much as 10 days. When the Keep-it indicator is attached an activated at time of production, the logistic provider will see if the food is transported in the correct temperature and the retailer will know the exact condition while in the store. The consumer can now buy the product safely and pay better attention to storage and the temperature exposure of the product to preserve it until consumption. By this we secure quality, control shelf life, plan better meal preparation and throw away less food.

PARTNERSHIPS NECESSARY TO MAKE IMPACT

We are seeking to work with food retailers and food producers who are serious about reducing food waste both in the retail chain and in households. However, food retailers must be motivated and willing to introduce new standards. Very importantly, success of such initiatives depend greatly on a positive mindset and assistance from country food authorities to allow new technology in shelf life monitoring to be tested on the market. Our hope is that working together within this community of food waste reduction stakeholders will facilitate that.