How about a sticker that goes on refrigerated and frozen foods while still at the factory - as long as the temperature stays in the permitted range, the sticker stays a friendly color.
Perhaps even a yummy smiley-face could be on the sticker, along with the message "I Was Always Frozen!".
If the temperature rises above the permitted range, the sticker would change - and never change back to the original yummy state. Mebbe Mr. Yuk could be hired for the job?
Perhaps even a yummy smiley-face could be on the sticker, along with the message "I Was Always Frozen!".
If the temperature rises above the permitted range, the sticker would change - and never change back to the original yummy state. Mebbe Mr. Yuk could be hired for the job?"I Thawed Out and Then Spoiled"
Then you would know if the boxes sat in an unrefrigerated truck overnight, or stacked on the floor at the grocery store too long before being put away - or even left on your counter too long.
This seems like a very logical and totally do-able thing - It's probably already in use somewhere, but I've never seen it.
The only problem would be manufacturing stickers that STAY a particular color once thawed.
ReplyDeleteIt's an excellent idea though. There's a type of beer in England that's label turns blue when it's the perfect drinking temperature.
You might want to patent the idea on this one.
Enzymes dormant at low temperatures would come to life and eat the happy-yummy color, leaving only the yucky version of the label.
ReplyDeletePatent - sure. If only I could create a prototype. But I'm not a chemist.
ReplyDeleteHmm. It might be easier to have a microdroplet of a reactive solution (of copper, say) in the sticker that is frozen while in its original state, and when it thaws out, it oxidizes, turning green.
ReplyDeleteAn even simpler idea would be to put a few icecubes in the package.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same idea as what I do with my freezer when I go on vacation. I put a biggie with a couple of ice-cubes in there. When I get home, if the cubes are still there, I know my freezer ran the entire time I was away. If the icecubes are now a single "blob" I know the power went out and everything defrosted.
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The technology to have something change color due to an irreversible reaction when it reaches a certain temperature certainly exists. The trick is to find something that does that at the temperatures you want. Honestly, this is a brilliant idea, and if you could find how to do this it would be very useful (and for your sake, hopefully profitable).
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! It's nice to think I'm not just churning out nonsense, but that some of this stuff I think of might actually work!
ReplyDeleteNow, can you tell me how I can hire one of them science peoples?
That's a kick-@$$ idea!
ReplyDelete