Smart Refrigerators
You might think it sounds odd at first blush, but a smart fridge can help keep you safe at home. It monitors what you put in the refrigerator and lets you know when food has expired. A smart refrigerator can connect directly to your food delivery services so that you can order your groceries from the fridge’s door.
The other intelligence in a smart fridge is its reduced electrical requirements. The 1980s fridge consumed a whopping 1,278 kilowatt-hours per year. Today’s refrigerator only consumes about 498 kilowatt-hours per year. They provide more storage, too. In the 1980s, a refrigerator provided about 19.6 cubic feet of storage space. Now you get 21.9 cubic feet.
The latest devices include dynamic power controls to automatically reduce energy use during peak times of the day. It does not affect food safety, but it does save you money on your monthly energy bills. These controls work with home automation systems to save money and improve home safety.
Home Automation
Home automation technology has made residential kitchens safer. You can automate door and window locks, the interior temperature settings, the lights, the coffee maker, and the oven. Most automation providers have monthly plans that include alarm monitoring. That means you can use the same system that monitors your home security system to remotely turn on your kitchen lights and get coffee brewing in the morning.
Induction Cooking
The wonders of induction cooking will help you shave a few minutes off of the time it takes to make dinner. The real benefit is the enhanced safety. Induction heats the cooking pot by transferring heat through the glass top of the oven/range. The difference between it and a normal oven is the induction oven requires a pot for the burner to activate. If you turn on the burner on an induction oven but forget to put a pot on the burner, it will not heat up. The burner stays off until you place a pan or pot on it. That means if you turn it on and forget, you do not have to worry about accidentally touching a hot burner.
Improved Thermometers and Sensors
The latest in kitchen technology has also improved the essential thermometer and its sensors. Whether you’re cooking at home or in a restaurant environment, a cooking thermometer lets you check that food has been cooked to a safe temperature. Today’s thermometers range in types including bimetal, digital thermistor, digital thermocouple, glass column and infrared. The latest designs provide enhanced durability and a quick but accurate reading in about six to eight seconds – some in as little as two seconds. Some devices can be left in the food while they cook. The latest designs are easy to clean and can measure food temperature to ensure the proper temperature has been reached to kill bacteria and germs.
Blockchain Technology
The underlying technology of cryptocurrency, the blockchain, has already added to the efficiency and safety of food supply chains. It records the identity and location of a food item digitally. Food gets tagged as it’s picked so that the manufacturer can track its trip from farm to table. This provides a permanent, unchangeable record for each food item. Knowing its origin, processing and movement lets consumers, retailers and the government better track food safety.
As technology evolves, it can keep consumers safer. Nowhere is this truer than in the kitchen. Your next remodeling project will provide numerous opportunities to make your kitchen a more efficient and safer room for family meals and gathering with friends. Update your kitchen with a smart refrigerator, home automation system, induction oven and range, and better thermometers. Then enjoy greater food safety at the grocery store and in restaurants through blockchain tracking.
