AMPED PCR’s Revolutionary Food Safety Innovation

RedKnight is proud to announce it has supported AMPED PCR Ltd, an Aberystwyth-based biotech startup, in securing £14,132 of non-dilutive grant funding through the Welsh Government’s Smart Flexible Innovation Support (FIS) programme. The funding will enable AMPED PCR to conduct a feasibility study for its novel PCR laboratory (PurifAI), a cutting-edge solution poised to transform global food safety standards. As foodborne illnesses continue to pose significant challenges in today’s global food industry, AMPED PCR has made significant strides in addressing these concerns with the development of PurifAI, a deployable PCR lab designed to improve pathogen detection and ensure food quality and safety.

Challenge

Foodborne diseases affect over 600 million people globally each year, with Europe seeing more than 5,000 outbreaks annually. Common foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, and Campylobacter contribute to serious illnesses and even fatalities. Despite ongoing efforts to control these pathogens, the traditional methods for detecting food contamination, such as culture-based techniques, are slow, resource-intensive, and costly, which limits their application on a broad scale.

Additionally, the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is compounding the public health threat posed by foodborne pathogens. With millions of deaths linked to drug-resistant infections worldwide, there is an urgent need for more efficient, faster, and accessible diagnostic tools to combat these issues.

Innovation

AMPED PCR’s flagship innovation, PurifAI, is a cutting-edge deployable diagnostic PCR laboratory designed to address the limitations of current food pathogen detection systems. The system promises to revolutionise food safety testing with several key features:

• Rapid and Accurate Testing: Unlike traditional methods that take several days to yield results, PurifAI aims to provide highly accurate pathogen detection within hours. This fast turnaround will allow food companies to quickly identify contamination and take immediate corrective measures, reducing the risk of foodborne outbreaks and costly recalls.
• Cost-Effective and Scalable: The proprietary reagents used in the PurifAI system lower the cost of testing while maintaining accuracy. Its scalability and ease of use mean that companies of all sizes, including small and medium enterprises, can adopt the system without needing extensive infrastructure or specialised personnel.
• Deployable and Modular Design: PurifAI is a deployable laboratory, which makes it easily transportable to critical points in the food supply chain, including farms, processing plants, and distribution hubs. This flexibility ensures comprehensive pathogen testing across multiple stages of food production and distribution.
• AI and ML Integration: The PurifAI system will integrate with a cloud-based platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to provide real-time data analytics. This feature offers actionable insights and helps predict and prevent potential contamination issues, creating a proactive approach to food safety.

Benefits to the Industry

The PurifAI system will provide numerous significant benefits to the food industry, addressing several key challenges:

1. Improved Food Safety: By providing fast and accurate detection of pathogens, PurifAI allows food companies to mitigate contamination risks more effectively, reducing the likelihood of large-scale outbreaks and ensuring that products are safe for consumers.
2. Lower Costs and Increased Efficiency: With its automated processes and cost-effective reagents, PurifAI eliminates the need for costly external testing and reduces the overall time required for testing. This efficiency translates into significant cost savings for food producers and suppliers.
3. Compliance with Regulatory Standards: The PurifAI system will comply with international food safety standards, including ISO 13485 certification. This compliance ensures that companies using PurifAI meet regulatory requirements and maintain the highest levels of food safety.
4. Sustainability and Reduced Environmental Impact: The deployable and modular nature of PurifAI reduces the need for large, centralised, energy-intensive testing facilities. Additionally, the system helps minimise food waste by enabling rapid identification of contamination, preventing unnecessary recalls.

A Milestone in Food Safety Innovation

By securing the SFIS funding, in addition to investment from the Development Banc of Wales, AMPED PCR has been able to take crucial steps toward the full prototyping and demonstration of PurifAI. This support is allowing the company to fine-tune the system’s design, integrate essential components such as AI-driven data analytics, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.

Mr Ben Davis, Founder and CEO of AMPED PCR said, “The SFIS award has been instrumental in providing critical funding and shaping our innovation plan, aligning it seamlessly with our business goals. It has provided a robust framework for engaging key strategic partners, including DNA Software, G-Con, and Google, while paving the way for an expert consultancy from The Technology Partnership and HSE. With RedKnight’s invaluable guidance, we’ve delivered a clear and effective innovation plan, which we continue to refine as we move through the SFIS programme. Quality is at the heart of everything we do at AMPED PCR, and we look forward to working with RedKnight as we progress. We strongly encourage other companies to consider SFIS a powerful tool for driving innovation.”

As AMPED PCR moves toward full commercialisation, the company is well-positioned to expand its reach beyond food safety testing. The system’s versatility opens up opportunities for applications in other sectors, including healthcare, environmental monitoring, and biotechnology.

With continued support and investment, AMPED PCR aims to drive innovation in diagnostic tools, contributing to improved public health outcomes and fostering a more sustainable and efficient food industry.