Over the last five decades, there have only been small improvements in food safety and quality testing, particularly when it comes to dairy.
There is a current challenge to identify chemicals or contamination quickly in long-life milk, but current tests can take up to a week and cost hundreds of dollars.
Canberra-based PPB Technology is looking to buck this trend and introduce the first step-change in food testing since the 1970s with its innovative instrument, biosensing proteins and software, initially targeted at testing for contaminants in raw milk.
Shelf-life failures of UHT milk is still a major problem for dairy producers around the world, leading to losses and recalls and potentially significant economic impacts.
PPB Technology’s CYBERTONGUE food diagnostic system delivers quick and easy-to-use on-site testing, allowing its customers to access laboratory-quality test results within minutes.
“The platform draws on state-of-the-art engineering in photonics, electronics and software, as well as biomolecular design and manufacturing,” PPB Technology chief administrative officer Jess Kelly said.
“CYBERTONGUE technology enables food and beverage processors to conduct quality and safety measurements in their factories and at critical points throughout their supply chain.”
The system includes a hardware device, biotech consumables and supporting software.
It allows customers to take samples of food and beverages and directly measure trace components within them in just minutes, with the same or better accuracy as the current gold-standard lab tests.
“Currently, processors use our technology to identify the root causes of microbial spoilage in the dairy supply chain, thereby reducing losses and waste,” Ms Kelly said.
“Our platform is extendable to many other food types and can help reduce the massive global burden of food loss and waste.”
PPB Technology is a finalist in the InnovationAus 2025 Awards for Excellence in the Food and AgriTech category. The InnovationAus 2025 Awards for Excellence winners and finalists will be celebrated at a black-tie gala dinner at Sydney Town Hall on Thursday, November 27. You can book your tickets here.
The Food and AgriTech Award is proudly sponsored by AgriFutures Australia. This category celebrates innovations in value-add food production and AgriTech, covering the likes of high-tech sensor devices, farm-based robotics, plant-based meats and other protein products at scale.
Ms Kelly said the nomination will help to boost awareness of the safety-enhancing technology.
“As a very early-stage Australian company with a technology that can change the world, one of our biggest problems is getting our message out,” she said.
“The independent validation of being a finalist in the InnovationAus Awards has global value. The award ceremony and process are also a great source of publicity to help us spread our message.”
The technology underpinning CYBERTONGUE originated at CSIRO, combining engineered light-emitting protein sensors with a state-of-the-art opto-electronic device.
All tests using the platform are on a common workflow and use the company’s hardware and software processes.
Overall, the company aims to help its customers improve the shelf-life of UHT milk, reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions and improve the bottom line.
The 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence will be held on November 27 at the magnificent Sydney Town Hall. You can secure individual seats or book a table here. Purchase a table of 10 and have your logo displayed on screens across the venue and in the event programme as a ‘Table Sponsor’.
The InnovationAus 2025 Awards for Excellence are proudly supported by ACS, PEXA Group, the CSIRO ON Program, Griffith Hack, TechnologyOne, Q-CTRL, National AI Centre, University of New South Wales, KPMG, AgriFutures Australia, Investment NSW and IP Australia.
Protecting your great ideas with intellectual property (IP) rights can lead to lasting benefits for your growing business. IP refers to creations of the mind, such as a brand, logo, invention, design or artistic work. Head to the IP Australia website to find out more about IP, and how it might help your business.
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