Latest news with #smartfridge
Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Shelfy review: Can this device keep food in your fridge fresh for longer?
Shelfy Price : €149 Website : Where To Buy : Vitesy 'Well done! Your fridge status is excellent.' That little pat on the back makes me feel a bit smug. Amid the chaos of everyday life, at least my fridge is under control. Before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I have thrown away a chunk of money on a smart fridge just to soothe my ego, I haven't; this is the work of Vitesy smart fridge purifier. Food waste is a serious problem. In 2022 Ireland dumped 750,000 tonnes of food, equivalent to around 146kg per person. About 220,000 tonnes was down to households, which means a lot of money went into the bin too, not to mention the environmental impact. We know what we are talking about. Wizened strawberries. Raspberries that turn to mush in a shockingly short time. The wizened tomato that seemed fine yesterday. I'm not saying I expect food to last for days – that way lies preservatives and stuff you would rather not have on your food – but 24 hours without rampant mould taking hold in the soft fruit you just bought would be nice. So could Shelfy help? The device from Vitesy claims to keep your fridge in tiptop condition, smelling fresh and feeding you back the information via its hub app. READ MORE The trusty tub of bicarb that usually deals with any pungent cheese or broccoli odours seems a lot cheaper and easier to manage. But Shelfy doesn't just deal with odours. It also claims to remove bacteria and gasses from your fridge that could otherwise upset the delicate balance and lead to food spoiling more quickly. [ Why are we eating more and wasting more food? Your plate size could be to blame Opens in new window ] Vitesy has some experience here. It usually makes air purifiers for your home, removing voltaic organic compounds and other pollutants from the air. So it stands to reason that it would have the know-how to keep your fridge clean and fresh. The device itself isn't the most unobtrusive of things. Think a smartphone photo printer and you are on the right track, complete with USB-C rechargeable battery. It sits in a shell what ensures there is airflow around the device, no matter how packed your fridge is, although you should still pay attention to the tips on how to position it. And it can stand up to fit into the shelves on your fridge. There are three modes: Eco, during which it will whirr away in the background and work for around three to four weeks; Crisper, which is designed for use in your fruit and veg drawer and has a battery life of two to three weeks; and Performance, which is intended to extend the shelf-life of your food. You cycle through the three modes either in the app or by pressing the single lit-up button on the front of Shelfy. The oddly long-lasting strawberries might stand as testament to its efficacy, but it is hardly scientific First of all, it is bye-bye bicarb. Then Shelfy is charged up and slotted into my fridge. I've connected it to the app, but you don't need the app for Shelfy to work; you just won't get the nice pat on the back from when your fridge is at the right temperature without it. Or know how many times your fridge has been opened, for how long and how the temperature has fluctuated throughout the day. Within a few days, my nice pat on the back goes to a finger wagging warning. It takes me a few minutes to figure out it is down to small children leaving the fridge door open for too long while they are getting a drink or mine-sweeping for fruit they might have missed. Within 10 minutes, I am back to my perfect rating. Re-educating the troops might take a while. The other things that are in my control though are regular cleaning of the fridge – Shelfy reminds you to do that on a schedule – and proper food storage, both of which will cut down on food waste too. But after a week I do start to notice a difference on how long food is lasting. The fridge is also remarkably odour-free, despite the presence of food that normally tips the balance. There are some strawberries – used as an experiment in this case, fruit rarely lasts more than a couple of days – that still look edible, rather than wrinkled at this stage. Can I say it really works? The oddly long-lasting strawberries might stand as testament to its efficacy, but it is hardly scientific. Shelfy has a report that covers the scientific studies carried out on its devices, measuring how well it controlled bacteria in the fridge environment, dealt with odours and controlled the level of ethylene – the gas that is produced by ripening fruit. The report gave Shelfy a thumbs up. The nectarines in my fridge that can still be used as a weapon agree. Good It deals with odours well, and food does seem to last longer. There is a reassuring amount of data fed back by the app to keep you apprised of the fridge's condition – assuming you needed to know that. It also nudges you towards better behaviour, and tells you how to make changes to make your food last longer in the fridge. Bad It isn't as cheap as a bit of organisation and elbow grease. You could save yourself the expense and only buy what food you need for a few days, a cheaper option than buying a filter for your fridge. Add in a fridge thermometer, and a regular cleaning schedule, and you will probably keep your fridge ticking over nicely without having to spend money or remember to charge a device on a schedule. Everything else The filter is washable, so there is no ongoing expense in replacing it. Verdict If you need a nudge, Shelfy will help you keep your fridge in good working order. As long as you remember to charge it.
Arabian Business
11-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Expo City Dubai launches new Terrazo Food Rescue programme for blue-collar workers
Expo City Dubai has launched Terrazo, a pilot programme that transforms surplus food into meals for blue-collar workers, as part of efforts to tackle food waste whilst addressing nutritional needs. The initiative, developed in partnership with RBT Collective, operates through smart fridges that distribute ready-to-eat meals created from rescued ingredients sourced from certified restaurants within Expo City. 'Terrazo was launched to transform surplus food into daily nourishment for the workers powering Expo City,' Mai Shalaby, Senior Manager – Sustainability at Expo City Dubai, told Arabian Business. 'With one-third of global food wasted yet many lacking access to nutritious meals, Terrazo bridges this gap by delivering balanced, ready-to-eat meals from rescued ingredients via a clean, traceable system,' she added. New Dubai food waste initiative to use smart fridge technology The programme currently operates on a donation basis but aims to develop a scalable model that delivers social and environmental value. The pilot runs until September 2025, with plans to distribute over 10,000 meals and engage all onsite restaurants. RBT Collective, a tenant at Expo City Dubai since Expo 2020, provides smart fridge technology and operational design, whilst Expo City Dubai supplies the platform and ecosystem for the programme. 'Our partnership with RBT Collective – one of Expo City Dubai's tenants and a trusted partner since Expo 2020 days – aligns global expertise in sustainable food systems with Expo City's infrastructure and stakeholder network,' Shalaby explained. The smart fridges track inventory, temperature, and access in real-time, ensuring safe storage and distribution that matches demand. This technology differs from traditional refrigeration by providing continuous monitoring and data collection. Food safety protocols require surplus to be sourced from certified Expo City restaurants that adhere to UAE food safety standards. Terrazo Kitchen operates as a registered establishment with Food Watch, following the same protocols as licensed food establishments in Dubai. 'Food safety is paramount,' Shalaby stated, adding that 'food is promptly checked for freshness and temperature, with smart fridges continuously monitoring storage conditions.' Restaurants participate by setting aside high-quality surplus food daily. The response from food outlets has been positive, with chefs supporting waste reduction efforts and community support initiatives. The programme monitors meals distributed, user satisfaction and worker well-being indicators including nutrition improvement and reduced food insecurity. Regular surveys and community feedback provide data on the pilot's broader impact. 'We monitor meals distributed, user satisfaction and worker well-being indicators such as improved nutrition and reduced food insecurity,' Shalaby said. 'Adoption exceeded expectations, growing rapidly alongside a strong sense of community,' she added. However, the programme faced challenges in maintaining consistent, safe surplus supply within tight timeframes. The end-to-end system encompasses sourcing, sorting, packaging and distribution to address these issues. 'Consistent, safe surplus supply within tight timeframes posed the biggest challenge,' Shalaby noted. 'Scaling will require maintaining consistency across diverse partners and locations.' Terrazo food rescue model plans UAE-wide expansion with modular system design Terrazo's modular system is designed for replication across the UAE. Expansion would require partner alignment, streamlined supply chains and tailored local implementation. 'Designed to scale, Terrazo's modular system is ready for replication across the UAE,' Shalaby confirmed. 'Expo City was the ideal launchpad to validate the model.' The programme is exploring hybrid revenue streams including low-cost sales, sponsorships and catering to ensure long-term sustainability and scalability. The Terrazo launch further coincides with broader food waste reduction efforts in the UAE. The UAE Restaurant Group (UAERG) has announced support for the UAE's First Food Loss and Waste Baseline Study, led by ne'ma – the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative. The study, backed by hospitality leaders including HAMA MEA and Dubai Hotel Group, will measure and collect data across the value chain to create national food loss and waste indices. The baseline study aims to support the UAE's goal of halving food loss and waste by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. Moreover, Terrazo represents the evolution of Expo 2020's Replate initiative into a system incorporating kitchens, smart fridges and data tools. The programme aims to shift food recovery from charity to circularity. 'Terrazo reflects years of evolution from Expo 2020's Replate initiative to a comprehensive system of kitchens, smart fridges, and data tools,' Shalaby concluded, adding that 'it shifts food recovery from charity to circularity: each meal saved cuts emissions, water use and insecurity.'
The Verge
11-06-2025
- The Verge
Samsung's fridges now recognize family members by voice
Samsung's latest smart fridges now support multi-voice recognition powered by the company's Bixby assistant, which can be used to bring up personalized information on the built-in smart displays based upon which member of a household is speaking. Voice identification in smart home tech is nothing new, but with no successful Samsung-branded smart speaker line of its own, connected appliances are Samsung's only real route to apply that kind of personalization. The main perk is that the fridge will be able to display your calendar or personal photo gallery using only voice commands. You'll also be able to ask the fridge to trigger an alarm on your phone, useful if you can't find it. The update may be more helpful for those who are hard of vision, as it will automatically change the fridge screen's display mode to match settings like color inversion or grayscale that have been applied on your phone. Samsung is also adding a new way to activate Bixby on its fridges. In addition to tapping the Bixby icon or using voice commands, you'll now be able to double tap on the fridge's display while it's off to bring the beleaguered voice assistant —no longer the default even on Samsung's own phones — to life. The Voice ID feature and double-tap gesture are arriving now in an update for Samsung's Bespoke AI fridges with Family Hub (the company's term for its larger smart home screens), starting with the 2025 models, and will later roll out to appliances with the smaller AI Home displays.
UAE Moments
03-06-2025
- Business
- UAE Moments
Express Your Mood with LG's MoodUP® French Door Fridge
What if your fridge could dance to your favorite tunes, change colors with your mood, and still keep your food fresher for longer? The LG GR-A34FDMKJ French Door Fridge with MoodUP® isn't just another smart appliance—it's a statement piece designed for the way we live, entertain, and express ourselves today. With its award-winning design (hello, Red Dot and iF Design Awards!), this fridge turns a traditional kitchen staple into the heart of your home's vibe. Thanks to the customizable LED doors, you can set different colors for each panel using the LG ThinQ® app—so whether you're in the mood for warm sunset hues or cool party pops, your fridge reflects your energy. Planning a get-together? Switch on Party Mode. Not only will the MoodUP® fridge light up in sync with the music, but it also has built-in Bluetooth speakers so your kitchen literally comes alive. And when the party's over? The display dims automatically unless you're near it, helping to save energy without killing the vibe. But it's not all flash. Practicality meets innovation with InstaView™ technology—just knock twice on the glass panel to peek inside without opening the door, reducing cold air loss and keeping food fresher longer. Inside, you'll find a spacious 617L of storage, top-tier cooling tech with Door Cooling+ and LINEAR Cooling, and intuitive smart features like remote monitoring through LG ThinQ® and voice assistant compatibility. Even better, this fridge is built to last with a 10-year warranty on its Inverter Linear Compressor and LED components engineered for a decade of use—even with daily door openings and mood lighting on. In a world where appliances are smarter, why shouldn't they be more fun too? The LG MoodUP® fridge brings personality, practicality, and performance to your kitchen in one futuristic (and very Instagrammable) package.
