FoodTech startup Inspecto has released a new lab testing device that has been design to detect contamination in food in real-time. The technology targets farmers, food manufacturers, and retailers alike.
A high-tech solution, the device offers the food industry the ability to tailor contaminant testing to their needs and location.
“Our solution helps make food safer and cleaner, and ensures maximum transparency,” said Avner Avidan, CEO of Inspecto. “We already are engaged in pilot projects with leading food companies wanting to take product safety assurance and traceability to the next level.”
Portable scanner
The next-gen inspection system scans the product or the crop and identifies contaminants according to specific requirements of the client.
A sample is placed in a disposable capsule for detection, inserted into the device, and then activated with a simple press of a button.
It scans the sample and processes it automatically within minutes, resulting in a reliable, quantified measurement of the selected contaminant. The scan can be conducted outdoors or indoors, anytime to ensure responsible sourcing.
All results are stored on a cloud, recorded and analyzed in real time. This high-tech device fills the industry’s need to conduct more frequent testing at different points along the production line, with immediate results.
"Since each scan is conducted in real-time and the results are stored on the cloud, Inspecto can offer additional services to our customers that, until now, were impossible for them to implement,” explained Avidan.
He continued: “For example, it enables our customers to approve or reject a shipment on the spot based on the results, and they can even use blockchain to store their information more securely.”
Chemical contaminants
The Inspecto device can be tuned to identify almost any chemical contaminant, in any product, liquid or solid.
“We developed a portable device to ensure the safety of the product ‘from farm-to-fork’ and help food manufacture control their entire supply chains,” said Yair Moneta, VP of Business Development for Inspecto.
“It can disrupt the entire way contaminants are currently being tested, reducing the risk of recalls, food waste, and potential lawsuits," he added.
For Moneta, the advantage of Inspecto is the ability to identify and magnify the unique spectral fingerprint of each contaminant. “Moreover, you can conduct multiple scans per day without waiting for the results or paying exorbitant lab costs," Moneta enthused.
Inspecto was established in 2016 in Israel. The company aims to revolutionise the food industry by taking food contaminant testing out of the lab. Reports on the discovery of high levels of contaminants in vegetables inspired the co-founders to seek a comprehensive, fast solution for detecting contaminants, Inspecto explained in a statement on the company website.
