More than 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted around the world each year, with much of this food waste often ending up in rubbish bins. The worst part is that a lot of this food is still eatable, when it's thrown out. It's a waste of the many resources used in food production, including land, water, energy, and transportation（运输）. What if there is a way to cut down on food waste?
In fact, many food products can be eaten long after the "use-by" date that producers print on them. A UK company called Mimica has developed high-tech food labels（标签）that can clearly show whether foods are fresh. . The labels can be placed on products or as bottle caps for drinks. A customer just needs to run a finger over the label or cap. If it is smooth, the product is fresh. If not, the product spoils.
To stop food waste, people even invented an award-winning label called the Barcodiscount. It can change color to show increased discounts（折扣）. For example, 48 hours before a product's "use-by" date, the label's color can change to show the words "20 % off", and then 24 hours before, the words "40% off".
Of course, the most important thing in the fight against food waste is education. But perhaps smart labels can take some of the guesswork out of food freshness.
