Belfast-based company Bia Analytical Ltd. has signed an agreement with trinamiX GmbH to develop technology to detect food fraud in the agri-food chain.
The companies aim to combine knowledge to provide customers with a rapid, portable authenticity result at the point of sampling, which Bia Analytical said will be “an immensely disruptive technology to aid in the fight against food fraud”.
Bia Analytical develops methods using chemometric modelling and artificial intelligence (AI) applications to help reduce food business’ exposure to the risk of food fraud.
These methods are becoming the preferred way to detect economically motivated adulteration, or food fraud.
TrinamiX GmbH works closely with partners from different fields to introduce immediate material analysis for enhanced decision making across various industries.
Fraud detection
“Combining both Bia Analytical and trinamiX core competencies to develop an innovative solution, will allow clients to test ingredients and receive immediate results, enabling real-time key decision making,” Bia Analytical said.
“As easy as pushing a button, users carry out tests with a handheld device that is connected to an intuitive app for fast results.
“This authenticity testing solution will be especially useful in detecting food fraud at the point of sampling.”
Currently, Bia Analytical is digitising their portfolio of lab-based herbs and spices authenticity methods to work on the trinamiX portable platform.
Food fraud
Recently, Bia Analytical announced it had developed a test to detect adulteration in common wheat flour.
The Belfast-based company said: “The soaring price of wheat can increase risks of economically motivated food fraud.
“[Wheat is] one of most widely grown of all crops with the highest monetary yield, leaving it vulnerable to adulteration.”
