Harriet Almond, a recent graduate of Northumbria University, has created a prototype for a detector that can identify gases generated by rotting food and offer cooking methods based on how fresh the ingredient is. The two-piece design includes a little mouth-shaped printer and a handheld sensor that resembles a snout and is called called 'Snoot'. Based on the data collected by the fragrance detector, it can tell how fresh the item is and then, the printer spews forth recipe recommendations. Using this information, Snoot then shares suggestions on how the food should be prepared in order to extend its life. ❤️
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Almond wants to find a method to lessen the 4.5 million tonnes of edible food that are thrown away in the UK each year by reassuring people that their food is still safe to eat and educate them about its potential in a lighthearted and approachable manner. She has tested the device on bananas, which release more ethylene than most foods, and developed quick, easy recipes based on different levels of the fruit's freshness together with a zero-waste chef. An underripe banana, for example, could be fried with some sugar and cinnamon to bring out its sweetness, while an overripe one could be blended together with cocoa powder and frozen to create ice cream. Almond's current prototype can only detect ethylene, the volatile organic compound released by bananas, apples, potatoes and a range of other fruits and vegetables as they decay. But future versions of the product could integrate multiple detection modules for different gases so that it could be used for all types of food – as long as they are fresh rather than dried or preserved. To learn more, visit their website at: https://nuworld.northumbria.ac.uk 📸: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrietalmonddesign/ @sustainabilitychampions
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Waste management and resource recovery remain essential to circular progress. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s recent review identified strong potential for circular construction strategies and end‑of‑life reuse in construction to deliver quantifiable carbon savings. Yet challenges persist in the rollout of Simpler Recycling due to legacy property structures. Strengthening these back‑end systems ensures green building products re‑enter value chains, supporting both circular economy objectives and sustainable urban development. The collective impact across policy, design, education, and technology confirms that the carbon footprint of construction can be reduced dramatically when the sector treats sustainability as an integrated, measurable discipline rather than an optional ambition.
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