Every day researchers bump into discoveries that promise to change our daily routines a bit – maybe not today, but soon – and for the better.

Take a peak at some of the latest practical epiphanies, from milk served in crystalline dollops to antimicrobial food wrap to smart labels that may one day tell us when leftovers are past their prime.

1. Got milk capsules?

A new milk capsule that dissolves when placed in a hot drink could eventually replace fiddly, foil-topped plastic creamers.

To produce the capsules, a hot solution of milk and sugar, or a non-sweet material with similar coating properties, is placed in a mold. As the mixture cools, the extra sugar moves to the edge of the liquid to form an exterior crust that holds the milk-sugar solution inside. Researchers are working on a sugar-free version.

The capsules can be produced in different shapes and stored at room temperature for at least three weeks. There is no commercial product on the market, but the researchers believe the capsules could be an environmentally friendly substitute for the small plastic creamer packages that are widely used at restaurants, coffee shops and food service operations.

The paper by researchers at Martin Luther University Hall-Wittenberg in Germany was published in the journal Chemical Engineering & Technology. 

2. It’s a wrap.

A new packaging film imbued with a natural essential oil can extend the life of perishable food by preventing over-ripening and microbial growth.

The innovation could contribute to food safety and reduce economic loss from food spoilage. The USDA estimates that 20 to 40 percent of the food U.S. farmers produce goes to waste.

The new multi-functional wrap incorporates clay “halloysite nanotubes,” small hollow cylinders. They are filled with carvacrol, a natural antibacterial essential oil found in thyme and oregano that kills microbes.

The wrap provides a gas barrier that absorbs ethylene, the compound fruits and vegetables produce that can cause them to over ripen and rot. It also prevents water from entering the film and water vapor and other gases from escaping.

Researcher Hayriye Ünal, Sabanci University in Turkey, presented the paper at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society on Aug. 22.

3. No, you smell the milk…

The day is fast approaching when no one will have to sniff the milk to see if it’s bad. Scientists have developed a simple new paper sensor that can root out spoiled food and even environmental pollutants.

The paper-based sensor contains reagents to detect food contaminants, antioxidants and free radicals that indicate spoilage. When the sensor detects a given contaminant, it changes color. The intensity of the color change indicates the concentration of the undesirable compounds.

One sensor can spot ochratoxin A, a fungal toxin found in cereal and coffee, said Silvana Andreescu, a researcher at Clarkson University. Her team is developing paper-based devices that change color as food and cosmetics go bad.

The paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society on Aug. 21.

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