This company develops an affordable, UV-based imaging device designed for small-scale farm households in Sub Saharan Africa. The technology screens household maize lots to identify and remove kernels contaminated with aflatoxin, a dangerous fungal carcinogen. This solution addresses a significant food safety and public health risk associated with staple food crops across the region.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Current methods for detecting harmful pathogens in food and water are often slow, labor-intensive, and require specialized equipment, leading to delays in identifying and addressing contamination risks. In Sub-Saharan Africa, small-scale farm households lack affordable methods to remove aflatoxin-contaminated kernels from staple crops like maize, posing significant health risks.
Solution
Secure Food Solutions provides rapid microbial tests and imaging systems designed to quickly detect and enumerate dangerous pathogens in food and water. Their rapid microplate tests can detect bacteria like _Salmonella_, _E. coli_, and _Listeria_ in approximately 15 hours, without requiring enrichment. Additionally, they offer the Mini Aflatoxin Sorter, a portable UV-based imaging device that enables farm families in Sub-Saharan Africa to identify and remove aflatoxin-contaminated kernels from crops, reducing exposure to this dangerous carcinogen. The Mini Aflatoxin Sorter uses a computer vision algorithm to detect the unique spectral fluorescence of aflatoxin-contaminated corn under UV light, marking contaminated kernels for easy removal. These technologies enable faster response times to contamination issues, strengthen food safety programs, and reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses and malnutrition.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes food processors, fruit and vegetable farmers and packers, industrial sanitation service providers, and municipal water authorities, as well as farm families in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Features
- Rapid microplate tests for detection and enumeration of _Salmonella_, _E. coli_, and _Listeria_ in approximately 15 hours
- Microplate tests require minimal prep time, counter space, and materials, with no need for expensive equipment or specialized personnel
- Mini Aflatoxin Sorter, a portable UV-based imaging device for detecting aflatoxin contamination in maize
- Computer vision algorithm in the Mini Aflatoxin Sorter app for rapid detection and manual sorting of contaminated kernels
- Augmented reality feature in the Mini Aflatoxin Sorter app overlays red marks on contaminated kernels for easy identification
- Mini Aflatoxin Sorter enables sorting of approximately 12 kg of maize per hour
- Customizable microplates to include formulations for multiple tests (e.g., _Salmonella_, _E. coli_, Enterobacteriaceae, and total coliforms)