A study was recently published in Trends in Food Science and Technology that proposed using “smart solutions” to mitigate food waste. IoT (or Internet of Things), means any device that can connect to the Internet and share data over a network. This technology could employ biosensors, indicators, and other means of monitoring food freshness, which in turn prevents waste. It could even be integrated into smart packing that could track temperature and moisture levels. While the environmental sustainability of this packaging must be considered, IoT could greatly help decrease the global problem of food waste.

I’m personally very wary of smart technology; the security risks alone don’t make it worth it the majority of the time. However, I think this highlights the innovation and creativity of the food waste field and that we should be optimistic about finding various solutions.

Davis, Libby. “Smart packaging can cut food waste but faces adoption barriers, study finds.” Packaging Insights, 23 Jan. 2026, https://www.packaginginsights.com/news/intelligent-packaging-food-waste.html. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.