Food Container with Expiration Date Reminder (OPTIMA) as the Solution to Minimize Leftover Food

Abstract

As time goes by, food waste has become one of the global issues that needs to be addressed due to its adverse impact on the economy, environment, and social. Preliminary study shows 77% of respondents leaves the food until it expires. Moreover, a study shows that most of the reason consumers discard the food is to avoid the food which almost and has expired. OPTIMA is a food container with expiration reminder product design which aims to avoid expired food disposal. This innovation can be integrated with mobile phone application so that consumers can control the expiration period of stored food in order to be optimized before the expiration date. The expiration date will be displayed on the LED display and indicator lights using the battery power source. It was designed with PDCA process (Plan, Do, Check, Action). Based on usability test through the prototype, 60% of respondents only had less than or equal to one error to use the product for the first time, 80% of respondents stated that the product can be used easily, 80% of respondents were satisfied with the product. It is expected to be used as one of the medias of actualization and development of technology to find alternative and innovative solutions to the problem of food waste stacking and expected as the innovation for household technology.