Arbiter was developed as a “least expected sort of inventions” as UMAMI sought efficient quality testing methods for its cell cultured seafood, CEO Mihir Pershad told FoodNavigator-USA.
The company was enhancing its machine learning capabilities “to understand biomarkers for cells and identify whether the cells were high quality or were degrading in process,” expanding quality assurance testing for its seafood customers, which face similar challenges, Pershad said. This enabled UMAMI to evolve its capabilities to offer pathogen testing and vertically integrate Arbiter into its business model.
Arbiter’s testing technology simplifies DNA/RNA analysis through a single preparation step for samples like blood or tissue, followed by an incubation period in a reader, he explained. Unlike traditional protein-coupled receptor (PCR) tests which require separate reactions for each marker, Arbiter uses detection probes in a single well to bind with up to 800 genetic targets at once.
This approach allows users to test for multiple foodborne pathogens, animal disease, species identification for traceability and seafood fraud – all in 15 minutes and for less than $1 per test.
“If you want to test 200 separate pathogens and quality markers … [Arbiter] is cheaper than sending that test to a third-party lab, and you are still doing it on site,” Pershad explained.
The core technology behind Arbiter is adapted from pathogen detection in human health, with a technology partner providing the fluorescent tagging and nucleic acid reading capabilities. From UMAMI’s end, the company interprets and presents the data in a readable format, Pershad said.
While the machine can identify and count specific gene copies, the output can be complex. UMAMI translates the data into standard pathogen measurement formats, like colony-forming units, and provides color-coded results (red, amber, green) to make it actionable for users, he explained.
Arbiter’s technology offers potential for consistent testing and traceability for distributors, importers
Arbiter’s use is particularly significant for importers and distributors handling multiple products from various countries as comprehensive quality and consistency checks can be done upon arrival, with previous tests done abroad.
Pershad highlighted the struggle with high costs and delays in safety testing from third-party testing, where scoring often relies on expert sensory testers rather than more objective, quantitative methods. For companies looking to position their products as high-quality ingredients or premium offerings, Arbiter's technology can help substantiate their value, he added.
How can Arbiter serve the industry more broadly?
UMAMI does not aim to be a primary testing lab for companies, rather the technology can serve the industry more broadly. While Aribiter could potentially be implemented within traditional testing labs, Pershad envisions a more impactful solution: decentralizing the testing process to make it accessible to companies directly.
“If we can deliver the same-day capability and broad-spectrum outcome in terms of what we can measure,” this capability could be transferred directly to customers who want immediate data, reducing the need for multiple protocols and validation processes which can be costly and inefficient to manage in-house for companies, Pershad explained.
Arbiter sees potential to improve testing efficiency for distributors, especially in cases like smoked salmon, which often face delays in listeria screening and runs the risk of product spoilage or loss of “substantial” shelf life, Pershad said.
“There is a real opportunity to create consistent testing through the value chain with the same test so everyone is using the same data and in the same formats. If we link that to traceability, if there are defects in the supply chain, you can identify those much easier. You can see where things are spoiling in a supply chain, or where you are losing traceability to species [fraud],” he said.
