Timestip is delighted to be exhibiting at the 2024 Pharmacy Show for the second year.
This annual conference in Birmingham brings together pharmaceutical and supply chain professionals from across the UK for networking and updates on the latest developments in this important healthcare sector.
Both the liquid-based indicators and electronic temperature indicators will be on display, including the new Timestrip neo products that are causing quite a stir with their small size, high accuracy and low cost
Meet the full range of Timestrip temperature indicators and the Timestrip team at Stand L17. Test and touch Timestrip products and learn about Timestrip pharmaceutical temperature monitoring solutions.
The Pharmacy Show takes place from 13th to 14th October 2024 at NEC Birmingham.
Pharmacy Show 2024
The UK's only dedicated trade show and conference for the community and primary care pharmacy sector, The Pharmacy Show, takes place in Birmingham each year.
With over 300 exhibitors and hundreds of hours of live education content on the latest knowledge, innovations and technology in pharmacy, Timestrip is proud to be included among the nations best pharmaceutical experts.
Read more about The Pharmacy Show
Rail Gourmet (RG), a leading provider of food, beverage, and specialist solutions to the travel industry, has adopted Timestrip neo Multi temperature and time indicators after a successful trial which reduced food waste by a half.
The Timestrip multi-use smart indicators have been selected to support the highest standards of food safety on board TransPennine Express (TPE) trains.
The small, lightweight electronic devices travel with food consignments, continuously monitoring ambient conditions. The indicators are attached to each chilled cabinet, and provide real-time data on temperature breaches, with a series of LED lights displaying the duration of any exposure to elevated temperatures.
Each neo Multi device is reset at the end of each journey leg and replaced after five uses, ensuring consistent performance, and being re-usable, are highly cost effective.
Rail Food Safety's Critical Challenge
With the introduction of hot meals on TPE trains, which are pre-cooked, blast-frozen, and re-generated on board, RG faced a significant challenge in monitoring rail food safety. Without a reliable method to track the time for which food was stored above the recommended temperature of 8°C, RG had to discard perfectly fresh food after four hours, leading to avoidable losses.
Since deploying the neo Multi indicators, RG has achieved substantial cost savings by reducing food waste by half over a three-month period.
“The neo Multi has worked very well for us; its reliability and simplicity are its greatest attributes in our application. We have been able to avoid unnecessary waste and make substantial savings.”
Paul Hewitt, Operations Manager of RG
This initiative is part of RG’s ongoing commitment to delivering quality service across major routes connecting cities in northern England and Scotland. With increased confidence in the safety and quality of food on board, RG now has the potential to re-load food onto subsequent trains, further reducing waste and operational costs.
The Timestrip neo Multi 8°C, 2 and 4-hour indicator (TT525-RA) is a standard product from Timestrip, with other specifications and custom solutions available for different applications.
Read more posts about Food Safety
Timestrip will be demonstrating our time and temperature monitors for pharmacies this weekend.
Pharmacy professionals will be meeting on the 10h and 11th of May at Clinical Pharmacy Congress. CPC 2024 will be held at the ExCel London.
Come and meet with us - we’ll be at Stand J50. Test and touch our new products and solutions for pharmacy temperature monitoring.
Timestrip Introduces World’s First Multiple Use Temperature Indicator
Timestrip® has introduced what is believed to be the first multiple-use temperature indicator of its kind available.
The Timestrip neo Multi is an electronic temperature and time indicator that can be used up to five times before being replaced.
The resettable feature significantly reduces the cost per use as well as simplifying inventory control. By avoiding the need to dispose of indicators after each use, it also represents a move towards sustainability, reducing waste by up to 80%.
Resettable temperature and time indicators
Early adopters of the neo Multi include the ‘food served on the move’ sector, i.e. air, road and rail operators who need to monitor the storage conditions of food to be served in transit. By tracking the conditions experienced by products at unit or pack level, passenger safety can be safeguarded, and unnecessary food waste avoided.
Customers have a small reset device into which the neo indicator clips, and with a single button press, the indicator is ready for its next use. The number of uses is shown on the product by a set of LEDs. Accidental resetting or tampering with the indicator are avoided by requiring use of the special reset device.
In common with the rest of the neo range, the neo Multi is robust and very small and lightweight, making it suitable for attaching even to small products. Scanning a QR code on the face of the neo Multi allows access to the individual serial number record for full auditability.
“Following the enthusiastic reception for the Timestrip neo range after its introduction eighteen months ago, we are delighted to introduce this further example of technology innovation. We expect strong interest from sectors including hospitals and pharmacies as well as food and beverage.”
Gabriel McGlynn, Chairman of Timestrip
Custom variants of the neo Multi can be specified to address specific challenges in temperature and time monitoring. Contact us about multi use temperature monitoring today.
Pioneers Sustainable Healthcare with Innovative Medicines Returns System
Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc), a leading institution in sustainable and innovative healthcare, and Timestrip UK, a leading supplier of time and temperature indicators. are spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to address challenges in re-allocating medicines returned unused from patients.
A panel of 14 hospitals across The Netherlands is implementing a system involving sealed bags containing oncology medicines and Timestrip neo indicators for drugs dispensed to patients. The neo indicators were selected for their clear irreversible alerts, small size and reliability.
Currently, unused medicines returned by patients are not re-dispensed, leading to wastage and potential delays in treatment. Recognizing the need for a more sustainable approach, researchers at Radboudumc have embarked on a trial to evaluate the practicality of a returns system that ensures the authenticity and proper storage conditions of returned medicines.
The panel of 14 hospitals that have been established to participate in the trial comprises six university hospitals, six teaching hospitals and two general hospitals.
When any of the drugs used in the trial are returned to the hospital pharmacy unused, the pharmacists can check that the package has not been interfered with, and that the temperatures incurred during storage and transport have not exceeded specified limits.
A custom neo indicator was developed to monitor three oncology medicine temperature ranges:
2ºC, 25ºC and 30ºC. A series of LEDs on the front of the indicator show clearly when certain temperature limits have been breached. The indicators also show the duration of exposure to 25ºC up to eight hours.
As the neo indicator alerts are clear and irreversible, clinicians can have confidence in the readings, and a further safeguard is included in the form of a QR code on each indicator that can be scanned to provide serial number data for traceability.
Shirley Xie MSc, the Investigator for the trial at Radboudumc, explains: “Using a temperature indicator is important in providing the evidence needed during the trial. We needed a simple yet effective device which gives us a visible confirmation of medicine quality.”
The ongoing trial is expected to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed system for re-dispensing oncology (and potentially other) medicines, thereby reducing waste.
Miss Xie emphasizes the significance of the trial: "As well as the potential improvements in efficiency and patient care from re-dispensing unused drugs of good quality, there is a sustainability benefit associated with the reduced waste."
Radboudumc remains committed to making a significant impact on health and healthcare, and this initiative aligns with their broader mission of advancing healthcare practices for the benefit of patients and the environment.
Read more about our partnership with Radboudumc on oncology medicine temperature indicators.
Timestrip will be exhibiting Seafood temperature and Food temperature indicators this weekend at the Seafood Expo North America - March 10-12 in Boston.
See Timestrip Seafood temperature monitors at Booth #2171.
Timestrip® Seafood 37°F/3°C indicator for Reduced Oxygen Packaging will be shown, along with a selection of the new Timestrip neo Food monitoring electronic indicators.
Timestrip will be demonstrating our irreversible temperature indicators, as well as showing how they can be integrated in your Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system.
Timestrip time temperature integrators (TTIs) can be used in the monitoring, verification and documentation principles of the FDA's HACCP guidelines. Seafood temperature indicators have been designed with the FDA guidance for shipping oysters.
Timestrip also specialises in creating custom time temperature monitoring solutions for the food industry. See food temperature applications for case studies of some of Timestrip's seafood customers
Time-sensitive products such as medicines, vaccines, cosmetics, and replacement items such as water filters require careful monitoring of their shelf life and expiration dates.
Inaccurate monitoring can result in waste, loss of efficacy and potentially dangerous consequences. Timestrip Time is a reliable time indicator solution that allows manufacturers and end users to keep track of their products throughout their lifetime.
What is Timestrip Time?
Timestrip Time is a time indicator label that provides a simple and effective way to monitor the passage of time. The label consists of a paper or plastic card, with an irreversible visual indicator that changes its pattern over time.
Typical applications are:
- Medical and healthcare environment. Items such as hospital curtains needs regular replacement to main standards of hygiene. Drugs have an expiration date, and stocks must be rotated to avoid wastage. A Timestrip indicator can make this a simple and highly visible operation. Endoscopes sterilisation need to happen promptly as part of standard procedure, and again a time indicator can ensure that is part of best practice.
- Manufacturers can include time indicators with their consumable products such as replacement filters and brush heads. Regular changing by end users keeps equipment working efficiently and safely, and boosts supplier revenues.
How to use a Timestrip Time indicator?
The Timestrip Time label is activated by pressing a button on the label's back. Once activated, the label starts tracking the elapsed time, with the visual indicator changing as time passes. The label can be customized to track different time intervals, ranging from hours to several years.
Timestrip Time offers several benefits over traditional time monitoring methods:
Accurate and reliable
Timestrip Time provides accurate and reliable time monitoring, with the visual indicator changing pattern as time passes. The speed of the process is calibrated to ensure accurate tracking of time, even in varying environmental conditions.
Easy to use
Timestrip Time labels are easy to use and do not require any specialized training or equipment. The label's clear visual indicator makes it easy to monitor elapsed time, and the label can be attached to almost any surface, including primary products, packaging and equipment. End users can interpret the indicators as easily as supply chain professionals.
Customizable
Timestrip Time can be customized to meet the specific time monitoring needs of different industries and applications. The label's activation time, elapsed time, and visual indicator can be customized to suit a wide range of products and environments. Customer branding is also available.
Cost-effective
Timestrip Time is a cost-effective time monitoring solution compared with other methods such as electronic timers or manual recording. The label's low cost and ease of use make it a practical choice for any organisation that needs to ensure time is monitored effectively.
Contact us today to learn more about how Timestrip Time can benefit your business.
Timestrip neo time and temperature indicators travel with packed food and provides clear alerts if temperature or shelf life limits have been breached.
See how our temperature indicators are used in food
Watch our video to see how Timestrip neo works in the food industry:
The Timestrip neo range includes indicators for accidental freezing and for chilled conditions. Read more about Timestrip neo.
We have an exciting new year ahead filled with new products, news and opportunities!
Happy New Year, from all of us at Timestrip!
We are currently shipping Timestrip neo indicators.
Read more about our small electronic time temperature indicators here.
If our 3 stock products do not suit your needs, talk to us about customising today
Changing seasons, global warming, customs delays – these can all make food supply chain management more of a challenge than ever. Many foodstuffs suffer spoilage if exposed to too high a temperature, while others are sensitive to cold and need a freeze alert, but simple tools are available to monitor ambient conditions and provide alerts if breaches to expected conditions are detected.
New regulations make it mandatory to implement formal procedures for food handling. For example, the US FDA will introduce a new food traceability rule in November 2022.
Timestrip food indicators can:
- Reduce product spoilage and wastage
- Help suppliers to comply with local and national regulations
- Demonstrate a commitment to responsible quality assurance systems and good manufacturing practices
Timestrip liquid-based temperature indicators
Timestrip produces a wide range of indicators based on reliable chemical processes, from the Timestrip PLUS 170 that produces an alert at -20ºC, to the Timestrip PLUS 171 that reacts at 38ºC, there are stock products available to suit every need. For food monitoring, a popular choice is the Timestrip PLUS 065 with an alert set at 8ºC ascending and an indication of how long the set temperature has been breached – up to 8 hours.
The single use indicators are easily activated and read with little or no training required. Some are designed with FDA compliance in mind.
For picking and packing of fresh fruit and vegetables, indicator labels can be attached to punnets for example. Dairy products such as ice cream may use a Timestrip PLUS 058 -14ºC label ascending, and for frozen shipments of any kind, a Timestrip PLUS 077 0ºC ascending indicator is ideal. While foods sensitive to freezing can benefit from a freeze alert indicator such as the Timestrip neo Freeze Alarm.
Timestrip liquid-based time indicators
For high value goods, a Timestrip Time 24 month time indicator can provide stock rotation / shelf life monitoring for up to 24 months.
A unique serial number on each indicator make these products completely traceable as part of a quality management system.
Food temperature data recording
For applications where a record of temperature data is required, the Timestrip Micro Data Logger TL520 is a compact and economical ‘micro data logger’ that provides alerts when temperatures breach set limits, and allows the logged data to be downloaded to an app for investigation and analysis. Simpler and easier to use than conventional data loggers, the TL520 requires minimal training in use, and can be used at any point in the cold chain.
The 2-8ºC default settings make the TL520 ideal for monitoring cold chain (refrigerated) temperatures in the storage and transport of foods.
Package level electronic monitoring
Timestrip neo indicators are specially designed electronic devices that are cost effective, accurate and reliable, and so support the actions required to manage the food hygiene and safety procedures in food businesses, and ensure that end customers enjoy the highest quality product.
Timestrip neo indicators:
- Give accurate and reliable visual alerts to breaches in temperature level and duration
- Are small and robust enough to travel with the product throughout the supply chain
- Are suitable for field or factory use - simple to use and read
- Are much cheaper than conventional data loggers
- Include a unique serial number printed on each indicator for traceability
The Timestrip neo Fridge TT525-AB stock product indicates at -0.5C, 2C and 8C, with time monitoring for the 8ºC level. It can therefore be ideal for monitoring all types of frozen and chilled foods, fresh fish and other seafood, meat, salads, vegetables etc.
Have questions about monitoring food with Timestrip? Contact us today.