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Freshness and expiration date measurement

Project description

Sensor-technology to determine freshness in meat and fish

Incorrect estimations of meat and fish shelf-life result in large amounts of food being wasted. For instance, 20 % of meat and 35 % of fish produced is spoiled, resulting in considerable environmental impact and high economic losses. A method to detect the degradation process and reduce food waste could prove beneficial for both the environment and the food value chain. The EU-funded Waste reduction project is developing a handheld device based on sensor-technology that can determine within seconds the freshness and shelf-life of meat and fish products. The device contains a nozzle that is pressed against the surface of the meat or fish and counts the concentration of degradation molecules to accurately estimate freshness and predict expiration dates.

Objective

20% of all meat and 35% of all fish produced is wasted, and being the most resource consuming food to produce, a reduction of this type of waste will have significant environmental impact. In the EU the yearly meat and fish waste corresponds to a CO2-equivalent emission of 193 mio tonnes and has a value of 41 bil €. By reducing the amount of wasted meat and fish due to incorrect or overcautious shelf-life estimates, for which the effect is transmitted through the value chain, the EU CO2e emission could be reduced by 80 mio tonnes and save the industry 4,75 mio tonnes equal to 17 bil €.

AmiNIC is a Danish SME, developing and commercializing a handheld patented sensor-technology for determination of freshness and prediction of shelf-life for meat and fish. The device could be considered an intelligent nose, 1000 times more sensitive than the human nose, and from database values, forecast the precise and correct expiration date. The nozzle of the handheld device, in hygienic design, is pressed against the surface of the meat or fish and measures, within seconds, the concentration of degradation molecules in the meat and thereby the freshness. Prediction of expiration date is accomplished by forecast curves for the development of that particular piece of meat or fish.

In contrast to the human senses this device gives a measurable value for freshness and is able to predict expiration dates. In comparison to 48 hours microbiological analysis, which can also determine freshness, use of our device does not require trained personal, it is cheap and can be used on-location and gives result immediately, including prediction of shelf-life.

The device is initially targeted at the intermediate part of the value chain of meat and fish; processing, distribution, mongers, supermarkets, restaurants and cantinas. In EU these amounts to at least 1,7 mio customers and globally 7,4 mio. We have validated a 40% market share and a price that these customers are willing to pay 670€.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

AMINIC APS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
JERNBANEGADE 75
5500 MIDDELFART
Denmark

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Danmark Syddanmark Fyn
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
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