Time temperature indicator

Time -temperature indicators (English Time Temperature Indicators, short TTI) are intelligent indicators which are mounted on food packaging and are intended to represent the end of the shelf life of the food visually. The benefit is that this breaks in the cold chain and the risk of adverse changes can be made visible.

Principle of operation

The principle of the indicators is based on temperature-and time-dependent photochromic, enzymatic, physical, or microbiological reactions. The reaction behavior is indicated by color changes or gradients. High temperatures cause rapid changes, low temperatures, however, correspondingly slower changes.

Benefit

The use of TTIs in the packaging of food has many advantages: TTIS suppliers offer the opportunity to demonstrate each customer the correct handling of the delivered product with respect to the storage and transport temperature. In the incoming goods inspection TTIs provide complementary information to judge the freshness and quality or the remaining life of the goods delivered by the color. Here appropriate durability models can support. This allows the FIFO ( First In, First Out) of storage by the LSFO principle ( Least Shelf Life, first out ) to be replaced. TTI continues to provide a valuable aid for the consumer to judge the freshness of the product can. Also in the context of HACCP concepts, indicators can be used as a specific tool for monitoring of certain temperature-dependent processes.

Consumer Protection

The hue of the time-temperature indicator to indicate the end-user how long the remaining service life of products really is that he wants to buy at retail, and as long as he can store them before the risk of spoilage occurs.

Reduction of waste

In the UK, more than 30 % of all food be destroyed unspent according to the figures of the WRAP ( Waste & Resources Action Programme ) each year. Much of this loss is due to interruptions in the cold chain. By associated with the introduction of time -temperature indicators improvement is expected that one can significantly reduce this percentage.

Reduction of disease

Each year, according to the World Health Organization in the United States 725000 people to food-borne illness, then of which more than 5000 people die. One of the reasons for these diseases is the consumption of foods that would have been enjoyable yet according expiry date, were due to temperature abuse but already spoiled. Through the use of time -temperature indicators can be prevented that rotten food is being consumed, since the consumer can directly identify, by visual indication of whether the product is still fresh.

Legal basis

In most countries, the expiry date and use-by date are the most important tools when it comes to the representation of the shelf life of foods. In the U.S. legal regulations by the FDA ( Federal Drug and Food Administration) are present that require the use of time -temperature indicators in certain fish products and seafood.

Scientific Basis

Time -temperature indicators are extensively scientifically studied, among other things, in a completed EU project under the name "Fresh Label ", was attended by various partners ( Cold Chain Management Group, University of Bonn, Institute VTT, ttz Bremerhaven, Federal Association of the German meat industry and various other partners).