Innovation of the week

Soon you may not have to idly wonder just “what’s in your food,” said John Boitnott in FastCompany.com. A company called TellSpec is developing a handheld laser scanner that can serve up a wealth of details about your meal. The device, known as a Raman spectrometer, evaluates a food’s chemical composition and uses algorithms to tabulate its content of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and calories. While the scanner can detect some allergens, it’s not accurate enough to catch them all, making it most interesting for users concerned with diabetes and weight loss. TellSpec has raised about $380,000 in funding and says it hopes to deliver a prototype for testers in April. The company says it will soon strike a deal with manufacturers to mass-produce the device, which it hopes to deliver to stores by Christmas.

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