**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOOD WASTE IS AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM GLOBALLY AS 14% OF FOOD IS LOST DURING PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES. THERE ARE MANY TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE, AND STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT, TO ADDRESS VARIED ROOT CAUSES OF FOOD WASTE SUCH AS MICROBIAL GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE. HOWEVER, SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING MECHANICAL DEGRADATION OF FOOD IS STILL A CHALLENGE. SPECIFICALLY, TECHNOLOGY IS NEEDED THAT CAN DETECT IN REAL-TIME WHEN FOOD PRODUCTS AND PARCELS ARE SUBJECTED TO IMPACT AND OTHER UNDESIRED FORCES FROM IMPROPER HANDLING OR TRANSPORTATION. SENSORS WOULD BE THE CLEAR ANSWER TO THIS CHALLENGE, BUT TYPICAL SENSORS ARE MADE FROM MATERIALS THAT ARE NOT COMMONLY USED IN FOOD PACKAGING AND WOULD RAISE SAFETY AND COST CONCERNS. INSTEAD, THIS WORK SEEKS TO DEVELOP THE MATERIALS NEEDED TO CREATE SENSORS THAT WOULD DETECT IMPACT AND OTHER FORCES FROM PAPER. PAPER IS ONE OF THE BEST PACKAGING MATERIALS AVAILABLE DUE TO ITS LOW COST AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY. THIS WORK WILL FILL OR COAT PAPERWITH ELECTRICALLY ACTIVE NANOMATERIALS. THE NANOMATERIALS WILL IMPROVE THE SENSITIVITY AND OVERALL ABILITY OF THE PAPER TO SENSE A WIDE RANGE OF MECHANICAL IMPACTS TO FOOD PRODUCTS. THIS MATERIAL WILL BE TESTED IN A VARIETY OF TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ENVIRONMENTS TO VALIDATE THAT IT CAN MEASURE IMPACT UNDER RELEVANT TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE CONDITIONS. IT IS ENVISIONED THAT THE NEW PAPER-BASED SENSING MATERIAL WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO WIRELESS SENSOR SYSTEMS TO ENABLE REAL TIME DETECTION OF MISHANDLING OF FOOD, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN FOOD WASTE.