This approval marks a significant milestone, enabling the company to initiate its expansion plans in the US. Senoptica’s patented sensor technology, which successfully completed trials with a large UK retailer, monitors the oxygen levels in modified atmosphere (MAP) food packaging. This technology allows food manufacturers to detect faulty products before they reach retailers' shelves and aims to extend the shelf life of fresh packaged food by up to 40%, significantly reducing food waste.

Following its FDA approval, Senoptica is poised to expand its operations in the UK and commence retail trials of its technology across the United States. The company's innovative solution involves optical sensors made from their patented food-safe ink, printed inside the packaging. These sensors provide real-time insights into the oxygen levels within the food packaging, predicting spoilage before it occurs. For manufacturers, this means that defective packs can be immediately returned to the packing line and repacked, saving time and money across the entire food value chain. For retailers and consumers, it offers cost savings and could potentially eliminate the need for 'best before' dates.

Globally, food waste remains a critical issue. According to The World Counts, approximately one third (1.3 billion tonnes) of food is wasted each year. Furthermore, figures from ReFed, a US national non-profit, indicate that 91 million tonnes of food waste occur annually in the US alone. Food waste significantly contributes to climate change, accounting for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, as reported by the United Nations.

Senoptica hopes to reduce food waste by 11 million tonnes annually, the equivalent of 240 million tonnes of CO2. The company was founded in 2018 by Brendan Rice, Dr Steve Comby and Dr Rachel Evans.

Speaking about the significance of the FDA approval CEO of Senoptica Technologies, Brendan Rice said: “We are delighted to secure FDA approval to position for expansion into the US market. Senoptica is on a mission to use deeptech to increase food supply chain reliability with a view of mitigating food waste in the long term with manufacturers and retail partners. Our technology currently improves the probability of finding failed packs by up to 11,000 times compared to today's industry standard. With our unique solution, we hope to revolutionise the food supply chain, through helping all in the food supply chain become smarter about food spoilage.”