Pork in the vegetable market will be prohibited from lighting from December 1st! How does the "beautification light" interfere with our vision?

The juicy green vegetables in the vegetable market wilt when they are put into the bags; the rosy fresh meat in the meat stall becomes dull when you take it home... Why is it that buying vegetables at the vegetable market is just like buying clothes in the clothing store, they no longer look so good when you get home?

The secret lies in the lights of the vegetable market.

Image source: unsplash

Fresh food can also beautify your face

The Secret to Making Food Taste Better

The main reason for the difference between the "buyer's show" and the "seller's show" is the colorful lights in the vegetable market. They not only have the effect of lighting, but also can turn on the "beautification" of food with one click. They have a professional name - "fresh food lights" .

The name itself may be somewhat misleading, but fresh food lamps are essentially cold light sources that do not emit extra heat and do not keep food fresh. Their main function is to make food look fresher and more attractive, thus attracting customers to buy.

In fact, it might be more appropriate to call it the “food beauty light.”

So, how do fresh light deceive our eyes?

First of all, we need to understand the color rendering index , which is a parameter that measures the ability of light to restore the true color of an object. The higher the color rendering index, the stronger the ability to restore the color of the object.

The fresh food lights commonly seen in vegetable markets usually have a low color rendering index and are not as accurate as natural light in restoring the true color of objects, making it difficult to see at a glance the original image under beauty filters.

This alone is not enough. Fresh food lights can also use mixed light sources such as red light mixed with white light, green light mixed with white light, etc. to make food appear in the color they "need" , such as:

1. If you want to highlight the freshness and tenderness of seafood products, you will increase the proportion of blue light.

2. For meat and prepared food products, increasing the proportion of red light will highlight their ruddy and juicy characteristics.

3. For vegetable products, increasing the proportion of green light will make them look fresher and more vibrant.

Fresh lights for different foods. Image from e-commerce platform

The color temperature of fresh food lights will also affect the sensory effects of food.

A higher color temperature will give the light a cooler tone, making food look crisper and fresher, while a lower color temperature will give the light a softer, warmer tone, more suitable for creating a cozy atmosphere.

By mixing light sources and adjusting parameters such as the color rendering index, the fresh food light directly adds a layer of beauty filter to the food , making the food present a better visual effect when displayed.

Is the Fresh Light a scam?

It will be banned from December

A survey shows that the usage rate of fresh food lamps in the market has almost reached 100%, and red ceiling lights have become standard for meat stalls.

"Everyone else is using it, if I don't use it, my business won't be able to survive!" Imagine that everyone takes a photo together, but you are the only one who doesn't edit the photo. Originally, everyone's appearance may be similar, but with or without beauty filters, there is a difference in comparison.

Previously, China had relevant standards, stipulating that the color rendering index in the standard value of farmers' market lighting should not be lower than 80. However, the "fresh lights" produced by many manufacturers are far from meeting this standard.

It is not realistic to rely on the self-consciousness of merchants to solve this market chaos. Therefore, in order to make the food in the market "free from American service", the State Administration for Market Regulation requires that the use of fresh food lights will be banned from December 1, 2023.

The "Supervision and Management Measures for the Quality and Safety of the Market Sales of Edible Agricultural Products" issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation clearly added requirements for the installation and use of lighting and other facilities in sales venues in Article 7: When selling fresh edible agricultural products, lighting and other facilities that cause obvious changes to the true color and other sensory properties of the edible agricultural products shall not be used to mislead consumers' sensory perception of the goods.

Image source: pexels

Although fresh food lights will be banned in the future, we still need to be careful when buying food. Don't just rely on the display effect under the light, but also pay attention to the true appearance of the food under natural light. When buying vegetables and meat, try to go to a place away from the lights or observe the food under natural light to ensure that the color and quality are consistent with your expectations.

References

[1] The countdown to the ban on “fresh food lights” has begun. Reporters found during their inspection that the utilization rate of food market lights is nearly 100% and the color rendering index is lower than the lighting standard https://news.ycwb.com/2023-07/30/content_52108277.htm

[2] Measures for the Supervision and Administration of the Quality and Safety of Edible Agricultural Products Market Sales https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2016/content_5067954.htm

[3] Architectural Lighting Design Standard GB 50034-2013

Planning and production

Source: Foodie Research Institute

Editor: Yang Yaping