Virtual Booth

The FreshCheck Sticker is an innovative smart food-monitoring system designed to reduce household food waste caused by conservative “Best Before” labelling. Instead of relying on arbitrary expiration dates, FreshCheck uses a molecular-based sensing approach to evaluate real-time food freshness. The sticker, placed on the underside of container lids, detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during food spoilage, including ammonia in meat and fish and sulfur or lactic acid compounds in dairy products. A chemo-responsive dye provides a clear Green–Yellow–Red gradient to indicate freshness levels, enabling intuitive interpretation of spoilage risk.

A semi-permeable membrane allows gas exchange while preventing moisture interference, ensuring accuracy. Made from seaweed-based biodegradable cellulose, the sticker is environmentally sustainable and compostable. Integrated NFC functionality allows users to log freshness data via a smartphone app, promoting behavioural change and timely food consumption. By replacing estimation-based expiry dates with molecular sensing, FreshCheck reduces unnecessary food disposal and contributes to lowering methane emissions from landfills, supporting both economic savings and environmental sustainability.