Tokyo launch for eMerge meat bacteria detector

eMerge Interactive, a technology company that provides food-safety services to the beef production industry, unveiled its VerifEYE Solo Handheld Meat-Inspection Device at yesterday's Tokyo's 2003 International Food Machinery & Technology Exhibition (FOOMA).

VerifEYE Solo is a lightweight and portable machine-vision system that the company claims can instantly detect microscopic traces of organic contamination that might harbor bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. The handheld device displays surface contamination at a glance and can be used in meat-processing to help workers zero in on organic contamination.

"We are very excited to be a part of this year's event, which will focus on cutting-edge food technology,"​ stated David Warren, eMerge's president and CEO. "Our VerifEYE Solo technology certainly fits the programme -- it's the only commercially available imaging system capable of detecting microscopic levels of organic contamination, which can harbour potentially deadly bacteria."​

eMerge officials are currently in discussions with a number of international distribution partners. "We are in the process of selecting distribution partners capable of developing a major market presence for eMerge in Japan and other leading meat-producing nations,"​ said Warren. "We have received many international inquiries in recent months and we are very encouraged about its prospects globally."​

eMerge Interactive​ also provides animal tracking services. The company's individual-animal tracking technologies include CattleLog, an exclusive data-collection and reporting system that enables beef-verification and branding. The company's food-safety technologies include VerifEYE, a meat-inspection system that was developed and patented by scientists at Iowa State University and the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA.

2003 FOOMA is one of the largest events of its kind. It is being held at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center and is expected to host over 600 exhibitors and over 100,000 visitors. The event runs until 13 June 2003.FOOMA​ was first held in 1978 at the trade fair site in Harumi, Tokyo as an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Japan Food Machinery Manufacturer's Association. Held annually since then, the exhibition has grown as the food machinery industry has developed.

Focusing mainly on food manufacturing and processing machines, the exhibition has built its reputation as one of the most comprehensive exhibitions to cover the food manufacturing process.