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RFID specialist Tageos has launched two microwave-compatible RAIN RFID inlays designed to support item-level identification and tracking of packaged food products.

The new EOS-450 MW M830 and EOS-450 MW UX inlays are designed for food retail and quick-service restaurant (QSR) applications, where RFID tags can remain attached to suitable packaging when products are defrosted or heated in a microwave.

The products are being showcased at LOUPE Americas 2026 in Chicago, US, as Tageos expands its portfolio of RFID solutions for the food sector.

The new inlays feature specialised antenna designs engineered to resist arcing and sparking under defined microwave conditions. This allows RFID-tagged food packaging to be heated or defrosted without requiring the tag to be removed first.

Both EOS-450 MW variants combine a slim form factor with RAIN RFID performance and are designed for a range of packaged food formats.

The EOS-450 MW M830 is based on Impinj's M830 RAIN RFID IC platform and offers 128-bit EPC memory, extended tag read range, AutoTune performance, improved backscatter efficiency and Gen2X enhancements.

The EOS-450 MW UX uses NXP's UCODE X platform and provides configurable EPC memory of between 96 and 208 bits, alongside up to 32 bits of user memory. It also offers rapid encoding speeds, low power consumption, Gen2v2 compliance and memory safeguards with auto-repair.

Tageos said the inlays are intended to help label converters and service bureaus provide RFID labels that can remain on suitable food packaging throughout the product lifecycle.

Potential applications include inventory and expiry-date management, track and trace, loss prevention and self-checkout across food retail and QSR environments.

The technology could allow retailers and foodservice operators to capture product-level data at multiple stages, from inventory management through to point of sale, while reducing the need to remove RFID labels before microwave heating.

Jeremy Wade, vice president of sales Americas, advanced business, at Tageos, said: "The market for RAIN RFID-based food tagging is growing rapidly, and customers are increasingly demanding inlays that are specifically tailored to the practical requirements of modern food packaging and handling."

The EOS-450 MW products represent the first stage of Tageos' planned range of microwave-compatible RAIN RFID inlays and tags.

The company said it intends to introduce additional variants to address different food packaging formats and performance requirements, while maintaining a technology-agnostic approach through the use of different RFID IC platforms.

The new products are available in dry, wet clear, paper-face and plastic-face formats, providing integration options for label converters and service bureaus supplying packaged food applications.