COOLID - Invenview technology

 

Invenview Technology – COOLID indicator is a cheap, easy to apply, intelligent label informing of a quality and lifetime of a product which it is applied to. The indicator reacts to these changes in storage conditions, which the monitored product reacts to. Therefore, it gives clear and legible information, if the product has been exposed to decrease or loss of quality as the result of being kept at improper temperatures during particularly long time. Groceries lose their quality according to the rule: “the lower temperature, the longer lifetime of a product- the higher temperature the shorter lifetime of a product”. Our indicator works just according to this rule. 
 

Wide range of application and parameters of COOLID label

The simplicity of solution allows creating the whole range of indicators-based on the same set of substances- of different critical temperatures with the vast range of indication delay time- (i.e., the time after which, an indication of exceeding the temperature given will occur), and additionally having the time scale showing the length of exposure above the critical temperature. Critical temperature (the temperature which, after being exceeded, causes a response on the indicator) can be optionally set from the range 0˚C down to –18˚C. Delay time – the technology enables to work out systems that will take into account the time of exposure in the temperature above the critical one, really integrating the temperature over time. The longer time of exposure and the higher exceeding, the bigger signal- coloured stain (mark). It means that, the exceeding of, e.g., 5˚C during 4 hours will give the same signal as if exceeding 25˚C during 0,5 hour. Though there is a possibility –strictly according to the worked out solutions – of construction compound sensors (slightly bigger, on the common base, carrying more indicators of different critical temperatures), registering the temperature history of storage of the protected products far better. The times integrated may oscillate from a few hours up to a few days, and the works are being carried out on lengthening them (according to the market needs). Additionally the time scale allows for widening the information about the condition in which the product is, by indicating the length of exposure above the critical temperature.
Dynamics of indication on the time scale, similarly as in case of the time delay, strictly depends on the temperature at which the product with the applied COOLID label is kept. (Fig.) Thanks to this, a properly calibrated indicator for the particular type of product may inform of its quality and the real time of consumption usefulness. The length of the colored zone l on the time scale depends on the temperature difference ΔT and time τ of exposure of the product to temperatures exceeding the critical temperature (T0) and is given by the formula:
,
where:

(within 0˚C to –18˚C range)
k – indicator constant, depending on the composition of the indicating substances.


In this way, the length of colored zone will be coding the history of the indicator, remaining at temperatures above T0 , but the indication of course can be the same for the time of 3 hours and ΔT 2˚C, as well as 0,33 hour and ΔT 20˚C (these numbers are just examples).


Matrix showing indication characteristic on the time scale i.e. the correlation of indication with the correlation between temperature and exposure time.
 

Label informing of product defrost
 Short exposure to temperatures above the critical one, in this case 0˚C , does not lead to defrosting the product, therefore indication does not occur immediately. Indication will occur just at the moment of defrosting the product.









Label informing of the exceeding the expire date
Indication will occur at the moment of exceeding the expiration date, e.g., after 3 days at -5˚C, and after about 24 hrs at +1˚C. 








Label with the time scale
The indication will occur on the time scale after the minimum exceeding of the critical temperature (e.g.-18˚C), but the progress of indication will occur depending on the correlation of temperature and time of the product exposure. The time scale may be divided into three stages:
 
 
 
 
 
  

1. ok – although the temperature has been exceeded the product is suitable for consumption
2. eat now – expire date is approaching, therefore the product should be eaten in a short time
3. do not eat – product has expired

Compound labels
Designed for the combined packaging, for monitoring of transport processes and storage at the manufacturers, transport companies , distributors stores, etc.


Indication may occur at different temperatures, for different delay times or in a few time scales. Matching the suitable parameters and versions will allow for adjusting the label directly to the kind of the product as well as the function and information that the indicator is to give. 



 

COOLID destination

COOLID indicator, thanks to the inventions applied in it, may be adjusted to monitor frozen groceries such as:

 

• Frozen beef
• Frozen pork
• Frozen poultry
• Frozen game
• Frozen seafood
• Frozen ready meals
• Frozen pizza
• Frozen ice-creams and desserts
• Frozen meals based on potato
• Frozen fruit and vegetables

      
as well as other products requiring storage at temperatures below 0˚C.