Food Safety Startups Helping Prevent Contamination and Increasing Shelf Life
In the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry, safety, quality control, preservation, and traceability of food products are paramount. Traditionally, these objectives have been met through chemical preservatives, plastic packaging, manual inspections, and paper-based tracking systems. However, these methods present significant challenges.
Chemical preservatives can alter food’s nutritional and sensory properties, while plastic packaging raises environmental concerns due to its non-biodegradable nature. Manual inspections are often susceptible to human error, and paper-based tracking is inefficient and lacks real-time data capabilities.
Innovations like protein-based preservatives, edible packaging, organic materials, and AI-powered dashboards are transforming the F&B landscape.
These new solutions enhance safety profiles without altering food taste or quality. They also offer biodegradable and compostable packaging options and sophisticated data analytics for better traceability and quality control.
This article explores nine growth-stage food safety and quality management startups that are introducing groundbreaking technologies to improve the F&B industry. These startups have the potential to grow rapidly, are in a good market position, or can introduce game-changing solutions in the next 2-3 years.
This makes them a great option to partner, collaborate, or acquire.
Explore the leading startups creating new and unique food ingredients and technologies, such as insect-based proteins and plant-based meat alternatives.
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1. Biopols
| Founding Year | 2022 |
| Headquarters | Ankara, Turkey |
| Total Funding Amount | $65.5K |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Grant/€25K |
| Website | https://biopols.co/ |
A significant percentage of food loss occurs due to spoilage from factors like mold, compounded by the environmental impact of traditional plastic packaging with massive waste and pollution issues. Globally, around 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted annually, while about 250,000 tonnes of plastic waste end up in the oceans, exacerbating the environmental crisis.
To counter these challenges, Biopols has innovated a natural antibacterial and antioxidant food coating and packaging solution derived from fungal chitosan. This material is sourced from food waste, making the solution doubly beneficial by reducing food waste at the production stage and creating sustainable packaging materials.
Biopols’s products include food coatings and packaging materials/packs that extend the shelf life of perishable products. These products are completely biodegradable and designed to replace harmful plastic packaging.
Unlike conventional food packaging options, the coatings are easily washed off with water, ensuring convenience and safety for consumers. They do not contain any petrochemical raw materials. Biopols’ innovation promises to save approximately 3,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables from being wasted annually by next year.
Sena Tarım Yalçınkaya is the founder and CEO of Biopols. She also founded another startup called Citrona. Yalçınkaya holds an MS in Chemistry from Middle East Technical University.
Biopols received a grant of €25K on Nov 7, 2023.
2. FreshSurety
| Founding Year | 2021 |
| Headquarters | Orlando, Florida, US |
| Total Funding Amount | $1.2 Million |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Seed Round/$300K |
| Website | https://smartfoodstuff.com/ |
In food supply chain management, perishable goods have one of the highest waste and inefficiency rates. The primary challenges include the inability to accurately track and manage the freshness of produce from farm to retailer. It leads to substantial food loss due to spoilage and the delivery of substandard products to consumers. The result impacts economic returns and contributes to environmental and food waste.
In response, Smart Foodstuff has developed advanced monitoring technology embedded in storage containers designed to enhance the tracking and management of food freshness.
The proprietary system utilizes chemical sensing technology and real-time data analytics to monitor the condition of stored food products. This technology allows for the detection of spoilage gases and other indicators of perishability at a molecular level, providing detailed and accurate freshness reports.
In real-time, the startup technology helps determine the remaining freshness, nutritional value, auto-oxidation, and browning enzymatic activity levels.
The food storage containers this startup uses are eco-friendly, with zero plastic and 100% recyclable glass. They are non-toxic, BPA-FREE, phthalate-free, and biodegradable.
According to the company, this system successfully identifies spoiled foods with a 99.3% accuracy rate, a significant improvement over competing solutions that rely solely on time and temperature measurements (16% accuracy).
John W. Hodges Jr. was the Founder, CTO, president, and CEO of FreshSurety, which has been remodeled into Smart Foodstuff. John is the current contract-based CEO of Smart Foodstuff.
He also holds fractional CEO/CTO positions for Alertgy and Stealth Company. His vast industry experience includes roles as an engineer, director, consultant, founder, and owner of multiple companies.
John was part of Lockheed Martin as a Senior Staff Research Engineer.
Smart Foodstuff’s latest funding of $300K was raised from a Seed round on Mar 16, 2018.
Related Read: Toxic chemicals in food packaging will soon face a global ban!
3. Prevera
| Founding Year | 2020 |
| Headquarters | HaDarom, Israel |
| Total Funding Amount | Not Publicly Known |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Not Publicly Known |
| Website | https://prevera.co/ |
In food safety, particularly in the preservation sector, chemical preservatives pose potential health risks and environmental concerns. Traditional food preservation techniques often involve chemicals that can leave residues harmful to consumers and the environment while also impacting the nutritional value and taste of food.
Prevera has developed Food Protection Proteins, which are short, essential amino acids and very small proteins. These proteins act as natural preservatives, offering a safer alternative to chemical additives. The startup technology is designed to protect food from pathogens without altering its nutritional content or flavor, making it a healthier choice for consumers.
Prevera provides a natural method for extending the shelf life of foods without the use of harmful chemicals. This approach meets the growing demand for clean-label products and reduces the environmental impact of traditional preservatives.
Co-founder and CEO Gal Shamri has been leading Prevera since its inception. He also owns GSBD Consulting, where he helps startups and companies using his 7 years of experience with Danaher Corporation as Corp. V.P. Business Development AVT.
Shamri also worked as a Marketing Manager and VP of Marketing with AVT for 10+ years. He holds an MBA in International Business Management from Tel Aviv University.
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4. Clean Crop Technologies
| Founding Year | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Massachusetts, US |
| Total Funding Amount | $11.4 Million |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Venture Round/Publicly Not Disclosed |
| Website | https://cleancroptech.com/ |
Food safety and waste reduction are the two major problems in the food and agriculture sector. The prevalence of contaminants like molds and toxins that compromise food quality and safety leads to significant losses and health risks. These issues are exacerbated by traditional food treatment methods that often rely on chemicals or processes that can alter food’s nutritional and sensory properties.
To address these challenges, Clean Crop Technologies has developed a novel solution using High-Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma (HVACP) technology.
This technology involves passing ambient air through a high-voltage electric field to create reactive gases that effectively degrade toxins and molds while extending the shelf life of food products.
The startup system can treat various agricultural products, including seeds, cheese, meats, nuts, and vegetables, without using chemicals, heating, or washing.
The HVACP technology uses only electricity and air as inputs, making it energy-efficient and leaving no harmful residues or byproducts. This method is scalable and effective on pathogens, toxins, molds, and yeasts. The technology degrades 83% of toxins and 99% of molds, significantly enhancing food safety while preserving the food’s integrity and quality.
Daniel White is the CEO and co-founder of this startup. He has 8+ years of experience with ACDI/VOCA in various roles, including project manager, coordinator, and Director of Agriculture initiatives.
In his professional journey, White worked as a project coordinator (Louis Berger Group, Inc.) and Marketing Associate (Reid’s Orchard). His Alma mater includes SOAS University of London for an MSc in Development Studies and Dickison College for a BA in Philosophy.
The latest funding for clean crop technologies came from a Venture—Series Unknown round on February 10, 2023.
Related Read: Latest Non-Thermal Food Processing Trends
5. Bio2coat
| Founding Year | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Catalonia, Spain |
| Total Funding Amount | Publicly Not Known |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Non-Equity Assistance/Publicly Not Known |
| Website | http://bio2coat.com/en/ |
Synthetic materials are used for food preservation and packaging, which has environmental and health impacts. The food industry often relies on non-renewable plastics and chemical-based coatings that can leach harmful substances into food. These practices pose health risks and also exacerbate the issue of waste, particularly in food packaging.
To combat these problems, Bio2coat has developed a series of 100% natural, edible coatings for food products. These coatings are applied to the surface of fresh fruits and vegetables, helping to extend their shelf life by safeguarding against microbial contamination, moisture loss, and oxidative damage.
The coatings are made from natural sources, are colorless, fragrance-free, and flavorless, and can be consumed together with the food product without impacting its sensory characteristics.
Bio2coat’s edible coatings eliminate the need for synthetic preservatives and plastic packaging, reducing food waste and environmental impact.
Co-founder and CEO Jose Ignatius Velasco has been leading this startup since its inception. He is a professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and holds a PhD in chemistry from the same university.
6. SAFER Smart Labels
| Founding Year | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Lombardia, Italy |
| Total Funding Amount | Not Publicly Disclosed |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Not Publicly Disclosed |
| Website | https://www.safersmartlabels.com/ |
In the current system, a significant amount of edible food is discarded because consumers and retailers rely on static expiration dates, which do not accurately reflect the real-time freshness or safety of the food. This leads to substantial food wastage and a lack of trust in product freshness. It contributes to environmental harm from discarded food that could still be consumed.
To combat this, SAFER Smart Labels has developed a range of smart labels that utilize advanced sensor technology to monitor the freshness of food products. These labels are designed to provide real-time, accurate information about the condition of the food, changing color based on the detection of specific biochemical markers that indicate spoilage.
The technology allows for a more reliable assessment of food safety than traditional date stamping, which can prevent premature disposal of still-edible food.
SAFER Smart Labels’ technology provides accurate information directly on the packaging, enhancing food safety and reducing waste. This helps make informed decisions about food consumption and reduces the environmental impact associated with food wastage. The labels can be used with various food products, including meats, dairy, and vegetables.
Raffaela Biesuz is the founder, CEO, and part of the scientific team at Safer Smart Labs. She is also a professor at the University of Pavia. Her expertise is in Analytical and Laboratory Chemistry, Data Processing, and Chemometrics.
Biesuz is part of a university research group dealing with the characterization/synthesis of solid materials with specific sensing properties of chemical species. She has been working on sensors for food applications since 2018 and founded Safer Smart Labs.
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7. Soop
| Founding Year | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Total Funding Amount | NZ$517K |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Seed Round/NZ$338K |
| Website | https://soop.co.nz/ |
Traditional, paper-based food safety management systems have inefficiencies and inaccuracies. Many food and beverage operations across industries—including hospitality, retail, healthcare, and education—rely on cumbersome manual checklists to monitor and report on food safety, which can lead to errors, lack of real-time data integration, and difficulties in compliance tracking.
These outdated methods often result in inefficient oversight and a higher potential for safety lapses, directly impacting consumer health and operational efficiency.
Soop has developed a cloud-based FoodTech Software as a Service (SaaS) platform designed specifically for food safety management to revolutionize this system. This digital platform facilitates the transition from paper-based processes to a digital environment, enabling more efficient management of food safety tasks such as checks, supervision, audits, training, and reporting.
The system is designed to be user-friendly and is available in 11 languages, making it versatile and accessible to a global audience.
The platform replaces physical paperwork and enhances traceability and root cause analysis through digital record-keeping. This reduces human error and improves data integrity, providing businesses with a robust tool for managing food safety more effectively.
Alfredo Romero, who has extensive experience in the F&B industry, is leading this startup as its founder and CEO. He has also been a WHO member since August 2023.
Romero worked as executive chef for Marriott International, SKYCITY Entertainment Group, Nourish Group, and Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts. He also participated in the LIF Global Programme and UnifonicX Accelerator Programme.
Soop raised its latest funding of NZ$338K from a Seed round on Aug 1, 2023.
Related Read: 10 Innovation Trends Shaping the Food Tech Industry
8. FoodDocs
| Founding Year | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Harjumaa, Estonia |
| Total Funding Amount | $2.7 Million |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Venture Round/£1.8 Million |
| Website | https://www.fooddocs.com/ |
Food and beverage safety challenges primarily involve maintaining up-to-date food safety documentation and ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory standards. It can be daunting, especially for smaller operators without dedicated resources.
The traditional approach to food safety management often requires extensive manual effort, leading to increased costs and the potential for human error.
To solve these problems, FoodDocs has developed an innovative, AI-powered platform that simplifies the creation and maintenance of food safety management systems. Its technology includes an intelligent HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan builder that helps users quickly generate customized food safety plans by answering simple questions.
This system reduces the time and effort required to comply with food safety regulations, making it accessible even to businesses with limited resources.
FoodDocs uses artificial intelligence to automate complex processes. Its system streamlines the creation of compliance documents and ensures they are kept up to date with the latest food safety standards.
The platform reduces the time spent on food safety tasks by up to 20%, and it can save a quality manager a whole working day each week.
The startup has been under the leadership of Founder and CEO Katrin Liivat since its inception. She has experience in founding and leading two other startups — one eatery (Cafeteria) and the first escape room in Tallinn (The Exit Room). In five years, she succeeded in opening six escape rooms at two locations.
Liivat started her professional journey as a Restaurant Manager at Baltic Restaurants Estonia. She holds a bachelor’s in food technology from TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology.
FoodDocs raised its latest funding of £1.8 Million from a venture round on February 10, 2022. Bonnier Ventures led the round, which included three other participants.
9. PathSpot Technologies
| Founding Year | 2017 |
| Headquarters | New York, US |
| Total Funding Amount | $10.6 Million |
| Last Funding Round/Amount | Series A/Publicly Not Disclosed |
| Website | https://pathspot.com/ |
Improper hand hygiene in food service and hospitality environments results in health risks and the spread of illnesses. The industry faces challenges with ensuring consistent and effective handwashing practices among staff, which is critical in preventing foodborne illnesses. Traditional methods of monitoring hand hygiene rely heavily on self-reporting and random checks, leading to inconsistent and often unreliable compliance.
To address these issues, PathSpot has developed a real-time hand-scanning device that utilizes light fluorescence spectroscopy to detect contaminants on hands that could cause illness.
This technology operates with non-UV light, making it safe for frequent use. The device provides instant feedback to users, indicating whether hands are clean or if further washing is needed.
The SafetySuite Hub is a centralized system that helps managers monitor real-time data across all devices installed in a food service business, including hand scanner results, temperature logs, and task completion status.
The startup offers PowerTemp, a tool that automates and simplifies temperature monitoring. It provides real-time temperature readings of critical equipment and food items.
PowerTasks is another feature that integrates task management with food safety, ensuring consistent daily safety checks and cleaning routines.
PathSpot’s technology provides immediate, objective, and accurate feedback. This allows food service businesses to consistently ensure high standards of hand cleanliness. It reduces the risk of health outbreaks linked to poor hygiene, and 89% of managers report that it saves them time monitoring handwashing practices.
Founder and CEO Christine Schindler is leading this startup with her leadership qualities. In the past, she was the founder and CEO of a non-profit organization named Girls Engineering Change (GEC) that helped college students and middle school girls build devices.
Schindler was a Biomedical researcher for Engineering World Health and was part of a merger and acquisition team at Cigna. Her alma mater includes Duke University for B.S.E Biomedical Engineering and Harvard University.
PathSpot’s latest funding came from a Series A round held on September 21, 2022. Two investors participated in this round, and 2048 Ventures was the lead investor.
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Authored By: Naveen Kumar, Market Research
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