Produktutveckling miljöteknik : Framtagning av produkt som varnar vid förskämning av mjölk

Sammanfattning: The aim of the thesis, industrial product design PPU304, is to develop a new product that will reduce food waste of dairy products in households. The main objective is that the product will be able to measure and signal when the milk has expired.The thesis is a start to find the solution to some of the food waste in households which is a major environmental issue in today's society. The goal is to develop a flexible expiration date that can reduce food wastage. With today's sensor technology bacterial levels can be calculated from the milk and that can increase the time a pack of milk can be used. The greater knowledge and awareness humanity have for environmental issues the better world we will live in. To understand the question, “what is it that makes the milk unfit for consumption?” A part of the work has gone into researching the technological aspect. In consumer ready milk there is different bacteria that will grow over time and eventually spoil the milk, how this process works varies depending on what or which bacteria manage to grow the most. Therefore, the most appropriate technique is to measure bacteria in the milk and identify at which level the milk passes its actual expiration date.The design of the product has been guided by two major factors, the predetermined dimensions of the circuit board and the adaptation to the size of the milk carton. The shape of the product is an oblong rear part with a spherical body at the front. The edges are rounded to give a pleasantand smooth feeling to the hand using the product.The thesis in industrial product design resulted in a final concept. The product analyses the amount of bacteria in the milk through sensors that measure bacterial metabolism. The data gets interpreted and displayed through the use of LEDs. To save energy the concept is equipped with a photo resistor that deactivates the LEDs when the fridge is closed and dark. The conclusion of the thesis, performed at Millcroft AB is at a conceptual level. To go from idea to product, is a process that takes a long time to complete and often involves many different moments. The timeframe during this study is considered too short to cover all parts of the product and therefore the boundaries set and the focus has been on constructing a design that fits the estimated technology as well as consumer needs. Some suggestions are that more research in the technical aspect of the product should be concluded. Further testing of dairy sustainability should be conducted on a larger scale and further development of the technology to send data.