Yarok food safety fast testing system wins UN innovation award

Published: 11-May-2017

Technology to enable fresh food producers in developing countries to detect hazardous bacteria in 45 minutes

Yarok Technology Transfer, developer of fast, accurate tests for the food industry, has received the International Award 2017 for “Innovative Ideas and Technology on Agribusiness”.

The contest aimed to identify the world’s most innovative technologies and ideas in agribusiness to improve the socio-economic, food safety and security conditions in Less Developed Countries (LDCs).

Yarok was one of five winners selected from more than 330 entries from 80 countries submitted to the competition.

The company won the award for developing a fast testing technology/system for the food industry that is able to provide results in 45 minutes, as opposed to the long hours or days required by current testing methods.

By testing raw materials or the finished product, the system indicates either product conformity, or the presence of dangerous bacteria, such as E.coli, Listeria, Salmonella.

This will support decision-making support on allowing or preventing delivery of fresh products to Points of Sale.

Yarok identified a problem affecting LDCs wherein export possibilities to First World markets are missed due to food safety regulations and limited access to technological solutions.

The solution proposed by Yarok would provide LDC exporters with the capability of assessing the presence and/or absence of hazardous bacteria in fresh produce, to meet Developed Countries’ strict Food Safety regulations.

Yarok’s system is already implemented in Israel and Italy.

Ceremony

The winners were announced at the opening of a special conference entitled “Inspire Power – Food Security for Developing Countries” as part of the Seeds and Chips Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan.

The award ceremony was opened by keynote speaker Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.

The award was granted by the Italian Investment and Technology Promotion Office, of the United Nations Organisation for Industrial Development (UNIDO ITPO); CNR, the Italian National Research Council; and Seeds and Chips, under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.


Yarok is exhibiting at the Israel Export Institute pavilion at Seeds and Chips Global Food Innovation Summit, Fiera Milano, Hall 12, Stand B16.

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