Recycling and Waste Management

Reduction of Food Waste

When produce is going to spoil, monitoring the plant hormone ethylene may help. They release ethylene, a colourless, sweet-smelling gas, as flowers bloom and fruits ripen. In order to prevent food deterioration, MIT researchers have developed a small sensor that can detect this gas in concentrations as low as 15 parts per billion. The sensor, which is constructed from semiconducting cylinders known as carbon nanotubes, might be used to track produce while it is transported and stored, assisting in the reduction of food waste.