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New app zeros in on protein and traceability

Article-New app zeros in on protein and traceability

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Seed breeding specialist Equinom, Ltd., has launched its new Product Profiler app to help food companies select plant protein sources and characteristics from a comprehensive bank of genetically available traits in order to develop high-value protein products with better functionality. The app also allows protein sources to be tailored to product specifications in a manner that is faster and more accurate than previous technologies allowed.

The new application toolbox provides comprehensive insight into the diverse and compelling world of seeds and crops, as well as the vast scope of their genetic makeup and inherent biological potential.

Equinom’s user-friendly app gives food companies the option to choose seed varieties with the precise desired traits and genetic specifications that are naturally present. It draws from a limitless bank of available seeds. The app makes sourcing of high-value, non-GMO grain much more accessible and affordable for food companies and farmers alike.

Comprehensive seed bank

Equinom collected and cross-bred thousands of seeds of different crops, from multiple locations and universities worldwide, to develop the first seed collection designed specifically for food growers and producers.

"Seed companies market mainstream seeds to food companies that might not always meet specific needs in terms of different food applications, protein content. The Product Profiler system opens new possibilities to feed consumers with better, more nutritious food,” explains Gil Shalev, CEO of Equinom.

“Customers get direct insight into the evolutionary course of the seeds,” adds Shalev. “They are able to see, in real time, where each specific seed variety stands along the breeding chain, and when it will be available commercially.”

This is achieved through deployment of Equinom’s innovative analytical tools for in-depth mapping of seed genotypes and phenotypes, and gene characteristics that the app translates into functional and nutritive traits. Food manufacturers can zero in on the precise protein files they are seeking, then practically apply them to their unique food development profiles.

Full communication channel

The app serves as a direct communication channel that, for the first time, will strategically link a seed breeding company with food companies, creating a unified language for all stakeholders and along the supply chain from farm to fork. This places Equinom in a superior position to supply food companies with grain varieties that precisely fit each application’s functional needs.

The Product Profiler app enables users to type in a grain of choice as well as distinct desired traits, encompassing parameters such as nutritional profile, protein percentage, and composition of protein, fat, starch, and fiber. Additional parameters include: anti-nutrient factors, protein functionality/solubility, and how the seeds score for organoleptic qualities, such as taste and texture. The app pulls up seed varieties that fit specific requirements.