Wireless Sensor Tag Scoops Innovation Award

25 Oct 2013 --- The Pasteur Sensor Tag, developed by an international consortium from the high-tech and agro-food industry, won the Food Valley Award 2013, in recognition of being the best B2B innovation to come out of the Dutch food industry. The concept plays highly in line with industry moves to reduce food waste.

The stand-alone, wireless sensor tag, developed by NXP Semiconductors and Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research and many partners, tracks the geographical origin of a perishable and the history of the conditions under which it has been handled, stored and transported. NXP developed the semiconductors. Wageningen UR developed detailed quality evolution models for various products, such as strawberries, avocados, meat and fresh-cut roses. By using these models, the tag can translate the recorded data into an accurate prediction of the perishables’ quality and remaining shelf-life.

Application of the Pasteur sensor tag at overpack level can have a significant impact on various links in the supply chain. This impact will be heightened once the tag is ready for application at consumer unit level. Increased monitoring and smart decision-making in routing will positively affect global issues such as food security, sustainability, food safety, food quality and public health.

The other two nominees for the Award also had a sustainability angle to their positioning. TCE GoFour is an on farm bio-refinery for the production of high-end ingredients and CO2 neutral biofuels. Food Technology Noord-Oost Nederland presented a new super centrifuge for drying both hard and fragile, soft leafy vegetables in a process that causes less damage to lettuces and can therefore help extend shelf-life.