![]() ![]() The center dot changes color from yellow to purple as the food becomes less fresh. When the pack of modified atmosphere packaging is opened (for example a pack of ham), the atmosphere around the label changes, triggering the color changing process. Insignia also offers after-opening (or ‘secondary’) shelf life timers for consumers, which automatically start to change color once a pack has been opened, allowing the consumer to make more informed decisions on the freshness of opened food. The labels change color faster if food has been out of its temperature limits, meaning the labels are more reflective of the true product life than the static date codes. Other applications include assuring cold chain integrity and revealing tampering or damage to the packaging. Using color changing technology, the quality and freshness of products can be clearly highlighted to businesses and consumers. However, products are often subject to out of specification temperatures due to sub-standard refrigeration units or poor chill chain management, such as leaving refrigerated truck doors open.Īn example is Insignia Technology’s FreshTag labels, which help the supply chain enhance food freshness and quality. If the product has been kept within the recommended storage temperature conditions, the label will change color in line with the expected shelf-life of the product. Time Temperature Indicators (TTI) can be applied at point of manufacture, and stay with the product throughout the supply chain. To conclude our definition, we might say that smart label technologies allow complex information to be conveyed to a machine system or to consumers, retailers and brands. ![]() There are a wide range of applications including brand protection and track and trace. ![]() Radio-frequency identification (RFID) labels can be attached to products and can automatically track them through the supply chain using the presence of electromagnetic fields. This is used by manufacturers to add features like traceability and to trigger a range of automated procedures which ultimately add value for the manufacturer, supermarket and customer. One popular example is the GS1-128 barcode which provides a global standard for exchanging data. Applications include storing information such as the food’s expiry date, batch information and product tracking data. Where a barcode has a 20 character capacity, a QR code can store over 7,000 characters yet can be read more quickly by machine readers.ĭata embedded barcodes are barcodes with extra functionality over and above simple product identification. QR codes can store a lot more information than traditional barcodes. They can be read rapidly by a range of devices including smartphones with an inbuilt QR code reader. Quick Response (QR) codes are used for item identification, product tracking and providing marketing information to consumers. ![]() Intelligent labels, on the other hand, switch an application on or off in response to external stimuli – they can ‘sense’ an action and inform the recipient. A simple definition would be that smart labels become active in response to a trigger, like UV radiation or the physical action of filling a container. So what are the main smart label technologies on the market?īefore we can start any discussion about smart and intelligent labels, we need to define what we mean by these terms and the attributes they describe. ‘Transforming a once single-dimensional barcode into a data-rich source for suppliers, packagers, logistics workers and advertisers, smart labeling can demonstrate the qualities and provenance of products, improve safety and reduce waste by tracking the products through the supply chain,’ says the company. This includes data-embedded barcodes, RFID, and QR codes and other emerging technologies. The consultancy experts at Clearmark provide a more in-depth definition of a ‘smart’ label, describing it as an umbrella term for any labeling or coding system that uses technology to add functionality and data beyond a traditional barcode. ![]()
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