Ripeness Sticker Coming to Supermarket Fruit

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Wednesday July 26, 2006 @05:58PM from the give-me-talking-fruit-science dept.

Adam Weiss writes "A biosystems engineering professor has just announced a "ripeness sticker" for fruit. According to this AP article, grocers throw out thousands of bushels of fruit a year because it ripens too fast (1 bushel is about 9 U.S. gallons). Mark Riley's RediRipe stickers turn from white to blue as fruit ripens. The stickers react with ethylene gas, a chemical which is released as fruit or vegetables ripen. However the article says "there are still bugs to be worked out: The stickers do not change color to reflect an overripe or rotten piece of fruit. Also, not all fruit produces enough ethylene to be detected by the sticker.""

2 of 321 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Re:What about nearby fruit? by wjsroot · 2006-07-26 18:42 · Score: 4, Interesting

maybe the sticker has the reative material on the underside and the color chaning material on above? two reactions?
I'm not a chemical engineer but that sounds rather complex compaired with just picking up the food, looking at it, feeling if its firm, etc.

--
Mod others as you would have them mod you.
Re:Won't Work by RajivSLK · 2006-07-26 18:50 · Score: 4, Interesting

You should try pineapples again. I've noticed that the qaulity has drastically improved in the last three or four years. Probably the result of improved logistics and shipping.