Cucumber with twin

Researching for quality in the supermarket: Empa researcher Seraina Schudel measures the temperatures inside a cucumber. Image: Empa - Vegetables and fruits often have a long way to go on the supermarket shelf. How can quality be intelligently maintained on long journeys and possible spoilage prevented? In cooperation with Coop, Empa experts are developing a system that keeps an eye on freshness during transport - and at the same time allows optimization. How is a cucumber doing after two days of trucking from Spain to Switzerland? "Asking them would not yield a revealing answer," says Thijs Defraeye with a twinkle in his eye. That's why the scientist and his team at Empa rely on a different method. At the heart of the system is a sensor that accompanies the cucumbers, measures temperature and humidity in the transport vehicle until they arrive at the store or are temporarily stored, and transmits the data to Empa. After all, these factors have to be right for fruit and vegetables to arrive at the store in good condition.