Ideaz

What is FreshTAG about ?
We’ve all been there buying food only to find it’s gone bad before we even get around to using it. At home, in hostels, or even while shopping, it’s frustrating and wasteful. Most of the time, we just rely on smell or take a guess, but that’s not always reliable, and sometimes it can even be unsafe. That’s what led me to come up with FreshTag ,a simple sticker that changes color as food starts to spoil. It gives a clear, visual signal so you know exactly when something’s no longer fresh. The best part? FreshTag can even be built right into sealed packets during production, so you don’t need to open anything to check.

How it's made?
The idea behind FreshTag is to keep it simple, affordable, and safe. The base is just a thin transparent sheet, and the main feature is a dye layer that reacts to the gases food gives off as it spoils things like ethylene or ammonia. These gases naturally indicate when food is going bad. To keep it safe, natural dyes like red cabbage extract or food-safe chemical dyes can be used. A thin protective layer makes sure the sticker lasts but still lets the gases pass through. For airtight packaging, manufacturers could place FreshTag inside the pack with a small window, so even sealed cartons of milk, loaves of bread, or snack packets can show freshness without ever being opened.


Why should you use it?
FreshTag is flexible, it can be stuck onto food containers at home or built directly into factory packaging. Reading it is easy: green means fresh, yellow means “eat soon,” and red means spoiled. This little system can help cut down on food waste, save money, and most importantly, prevent eating food that’s gone bad. It’s a small idea with a big impact ,portable, eco-friendly, and practical. By giving both consumers and manufacturers a reliable way to check freshness, FreshTag makes everyday life just a little simpler and safer.