We put a lot of trust in the authorities responsible for keeping our drinking water and food safe to consume, but at the end of the day, apart from setting up some kind of home testing laboratory, there's not a whole lot – beyond sight, smell and taste, or buying a water filter – we can do to help guarantee it. Well, until now.
The EcoTracker, from innovative sensor-device makers Milerd Technologies, is a three-in-one measuring gadget that can detect levels of harmful substances in common fruits, vegetables and meats, as well as measure key water quality indicators – and then deliver precise readings in just three seconds.
While New Atlas will test out the EcoTracker in the coming months, as it's still in production and soon to be the subject of a crowd-funding campaign ahead of release, Milerd has been making health-focused personal devices for more than 15 years. Previous tools in its 80-strong catalogue include handheld Geiger counters and smart air purifiers.
But unlike those previous devices, which have come with a significant price tag, the EcoTracker will be available for just US$49 for 300 early-bird backers, and will ultimately retail for $149.
So what exactly can the device detect? Let's look at the water first. It counts TDS, which are essentially the dissolved solids in drinking water and can include sulphates, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and nitrates. While high levels of TDS are not necessarily harmful to health, they can affect the water's color, taste and smell. Ideally, TDS of 50-150 PPM (parts per million) is considered excellent for consumption, with quality deteriorating the higher the TDS count. At 300-500 PPM, water is considered poor and not ideal for drinking, while anything above 1,200 PPM is to be avoided.
While the EcoTracker can't tell you exactly the makeup of TDS in the water – you will need that home chemistry lab for this much detail – excessively high readings can indicate the presence of toxic compounds such as arsenic, lead or nitrates.
Similarly, gauging the pH levels in drinking water is important for quality. A high pH can prevent the body from absorbing essential minerals, while a low pH can be corrosive for pipes and result in lead and other metals leeching into the water that comes out of the tap. Drinking water should have a pH level of around 7.5, but 'normal' is generally considered somewhere between 6.5 and 9.5.
Now, onto the food. Using a sensor specifically for fruit and vegetables, plus fish and other meat, the EcoTracker will alert consumers to red flags of contamination, including nitrates, chlorides, and pesticides. While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continually monitors commercial products, it's not a foolproof system – as any supermarket recall will remind shoppers.
Even home-grown produce can be subject to contamination thanks to past soil usage, which is hard to detect by sight alone. Ultimately, the EcoTracker will assess whether food that may otherwise appear fine presents a risk to health. Of course, we don't recommend using the tool to poke into produce at the grocery store (though, to be honest, we can't say we wouldn't give this a go). Its compact size, however, makes it a handy tool to take with you while traveling if food and water safety is of a concern.
A large digital display on the side of the device will show a reading in just three seconds, offering a green tick if food or water is in the 'safe zone' for consumption. The gold-coated sensor also uses temperature compensation technology to account for environmental impacts on readings. The EcoTracker can assess around 60 common fruit, vegetable, fish and other meat products, and is designed to be simple to understand.
You can also customize the settings for specific thresholds if required – for example, those with kidney conditions have a lower TDS level recommendation than the general population.
The EcoTracker hits Kickstarter on January 28, with the makers stating that delivery is expected between March and May, 2025.
Source: Milerd Technologies
