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Thursday, November 12, 2015

Smartphone Technology: Changing How Consumers Think About Food

Smartphone Technology: Changing How Consumers Think About Food
By Adam Perestam
 
Smartphones such as the iPhone have altered how people live their daily lives. Smartphones have changed means of communication, transmission of information, financial transactions and everything in between. New applications for smartphones are being developed that will continue to revolutionize lives and change how people view and think about food. Smartphone capabilities will enable consumers, to scan food and receive a complete nutritional and chemical profile of the scanned product. By having such information, people will be able to make more informed, real time decisions about the food they purchase. The public’s common beliefs, concerns, and questions associated with food, such as safety, product mislabeling, and allergens will be challenged and impacted by this technology. 

Scio, is a handheld spectrometer that measures wavelengths of light, collecting information about the chemical makeup of food, pills, or plants. Results are wirelessly transmitted in real-time through an app on the user’s smartphone. A miniaturized sensor at the end of the Scio device sends data to the smartphone, connects to an online server, and deciphers how many calories, grams of fat, carbohydrates, proteins, and water content is contained in the product. The nutritional information can be used to reduce food mislabeling by comparing actual product content with the information on the product’s label. Dieters needing to limit or monitor specific nutritional elements will be able to easily and accurately keep track of their diet. Early investors in Scio will be able to purchase it for only $150 when released in the near future. 

 
Scio can scan a food product and give feedback about the foods chemical makeup within seconds.  Picture Credit: Dean Takahashi 

A second gadget, similar to Scio in that it is also a spectrometer, is the cradle and app for the iPhone. The cradle contains lenses and filters to work with the iPhone’s built-in camera. The camera is used as a sensor to detect toxins, proteins, bacteria, and other molecules within food. The cradle and app is a potential life saving device for people with food allergies as the cradle can detect allergens such as peanuts, milk, soy, or wheat. The cradle in conjunction with the iPhone could allow for real-time tracking using the phone’s GPS data to map the spread of pathogens among products. Real-time tracking could be crucial in the event of a product recall, by being able to quickly and efficiently locate potentially contaminated products. In addition, tests are being conducted on field-crops to detect toxins in corn and soybeans. The spectrometer typically used for the application costs $50,000, however, the iPhone is able to replicate the same functions as the spectrometer with the help of the cradle lenses and filters for only $200.

 
The cradle and app can detect potential allergens within food. Picture credit: Brian T. Cunningham

Another developing technology is the use of sensors that can wirelessly detect hazardous gases and environmental pollutants and can be read by a smartphone. The creators are pursuing the integration of the sensors into the packages of perishable foods, such as meat or fish, and would be dubbed "smart packaging." The inclusion of smart packaging would allow people to detect possible food spoilage or contamination of products. Sensor technology would be useful for reducing the incidences of food poisoning, as people will know if their food has spoiled. Since, the sensors are inexpensive and can be read by a smartphone, integration can occur just about anywhere.
 
 
Modified sensors will detect when an easily spoilable product, like fish, has gone bad. 
That is, in case you couldn’t already tell. Picture credit: Christine Daniloff

A final application is Lapka. Lapka has a set of sensors that can measure moisture, radiation, and nitrate levels in organic material. It is designed to inform people about the invisible and unknown environment around them. Measuring the levels of nitrates in food is relevant because nitrates are commonly used in non-organic fertilizers. If a product being measured contains a high level of nitrates, especially produce, there is a high chance that it is not organic. The current public debate about knowing whether a food is organic or not can be addressed by Lapka simply inserting a probe into a product. Compared to the modified sensors and Scio, Lapka is currently on the market and retails for $200.
 
 
Use Lapka to know if your produce is truly organic.  Picture credit: Reign23.com

The number of food applications for smartphones are rapidly expanding and will change how people view and select food. The most important use for such technology will be to improve food safety. Each year, 1 in 6 Americans, 48 million people become sick from food borne illnesses. These statistics are only from surveys in the U.S., which is known for being a nation with strict food regulations. As the technology spreads globally, anyone with a smartphone will know when their food has spoiled. People who suffer from food allergies will be able to tell if the food they are about to consume or buy is safe for them. Recalls due to the presence of undeclared allergens will also be reduced. In addition, food mislabeling will decrease as people will be able to distinguish when a product truly contains what is stated on the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list. Knowing if a food is organic or not will finally be known, as this has become an ongoing topic of debate. These new smartphone applications have the power to alter life as we know it, leaving future generations to wonder how we ever survived without these capabilities.