Singapore’s UMAMI Bioworks launches tool to enhance safety

SINGAPORE – UMAMI Bioworks, a Singapore-based cell-cultured seafood producer, has introduced a new tool designed to test seafood for safety and quality at various stages of the supply chain. 

Dubbed the Arbiter Seafood Disease and Quality Assurance Solution, this device offers a flexible approach to quickly identify foodborne pathogens and quality markers, according to UMAMI CEO Mihir Pershad.

“Arbiter draws on UMAMI’s core bioplatform expertise to efficiently assess seafood safety and quality in ways that weren’t possible before,” Pershad told SeafoodSource.

The Arbiter tool functions through a fluorescent-based reading system, which counts the exact quantities of DNA or RNA present in seafood samples. 

It also allows for rapid preparation, processing up to 50 samples in around 15 minutes. 

The instrument then reads the samples, and UMAMI’s machine learning platform interprets the findings to produce a user-friendly report suitable for non-specialists.

With a cost of less than US$1 per diagnostic target, the Arbiter platform aims to make seafood quality testing more widely accessible and scalable, the company said in a release.

Pershad noted that transparency and scalability are key objectives for UMAMI, which aims to make seafood quality testing both affordable and reliable. 

Though UMAMI Bioworks specializes in cell-cultured seafood, the Arbiter solution is also compatible with traditionally sourced seafood. 

Pershad envisions the tool being used throughout the supply chain, from farms and processors to distributors and buyers, at any point where testing is needed.

In recent months, UMAMI Bioworks has expanded its reach into new international markets. 

In October, the company extended its operations into the UK, where it is currently in discussions with regulatory bodies regarding market entry requirements. 

In the same month, UMAMI announced a partnership with two South Korean biotech firms, KCell Biosciences and WSG, to establish a scalable production line for cell-cultured seafood within South Korea. 

This collaboration aims to accelerate the entry of these products into the local market, as South Korea continues to develop a regulatory framework for cultivated proteins.

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