Geissler's Is First In Nation To Use New Safe Temperature Labels

shoppers will be the first in the United States to be able to purchase meat products with labels featuring the OnVu® intelligent indicator, the companies announced Thursday.

OnVu uses state-of-the-art technology to provide consumers assurance at a glance that their meat products have been kept at safe temperatures after purchase, a press release said. The United States is the latest country to adopt this innovative technology since it was first introduced in 2009.

Starting on Friday, the Geissler’s stores in , Somers and Granby, will be piloting these labels on their meat products before the technology is introduced nationwide. 

Considering that foodborne illness affects 1 out of every 6 Americans,2 the OnVu technology is an innovative way to provide consumers with the information they need to ensure the meat they eat has been kept at proper temperatures from store to stovetop.

“We have processes in place to ensure safe handling of our meats and poultry from the delivery trucks to our store shelves, but once the food is placed in the shopping cart it’s out of our control,”  Ryan Nilsson, Meat Supervisor, Geissler's Supermarkets, said in a press release. “The color-coded OnVu® label is a foolproof way to give our shoppers valuable information about their meat up until they’re ready to prepare and eat it.”

When exposed to higher temperatures for too long, the safety of perishable foods like meat and poultry becomes compromised. OnVu provides assurance that consumers’ meat products are kept properly chilled from the point of purchase until it is prepared.  And, since the label also changes color to warn consumers of temperature abuse, it provides an additional level of information that will help safeguard consumer health.

OnVu is a tamper-proof label affixed and activated by the retailer before the item is placed in the meat case. The OnVu indicator, in the form of a thermometer, starts as a dark blue bulb and reacts to changes in the ambient temperature and over time. If a product has been placed outside safe temperatures, or above 40°F,3 for too long, the indicator color will fade until it becomes lighter than the surrounding grey reference color, indicating that the product is no longer suitable for eating.  If stored at safe temperatures, 40°F or colder, the bulb will fade accordingly and show the product has been properly refrigerated through its expected shelf life. 

“Proper food handling by consumers is an important part of overall health,” Pedro Garza, OnVu’s Business Development Manager for North America, said in a press release. “With OnVu it’s never been easier to monitor that your foods you’re about to feed your family have been kept at safe temperatures after purchase.” 

OnVu is partnering with , a print-based technology company in East Windsor. 

“Some of our large retail customers want to monitor their refrigerated and frozen products like meat and poultry, frozen novelties, and other fresh perishable foods. With the OnVu partnership we can now offer our clients another Innovative solution, Geissler’s being a perfect example," said Bill Bailey, President of Specialty Printing, LLC.