City Company Gets Federal Grant For Pathogen Detection Equipment

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro announced today that Real Time Analyzers Inc. has been awarded a $681,521 grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant was competitively awarded through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Real Time Analyzers builds portable Raman Spectrometers to analyze small samples, they are based on Industrial Park Road.

The grant will be used to develop an analyzer to detect foodborne pathogens in a timelier manner than currently exists. This proactive approach is in line with the Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act, which DeLauro championed. The law takes a more proactive approach to food safety, shifting the focus to preventing outbreaks, rather than reacting to them.

“The ability to detect such foodborne pathogens quickly and on-site in an affordable manner will go a long way towards ensuring a safe food supply for the United States,” said DeLauro. “Dr. Farguharson’s work is both innovative and just the kind of project that the SBIR program was designed to support. He has already demonstrated great success in utilizing SBIR funding and I have every confidence that he and his staff will make great strides in the continued development of the Foodborne Pathogen Analyzer.”

Dr. Stuart Farquharson, President & CEO of the company said, “Current technologies require one to four days to detect pathogens such as Listeria and Salmonella in foods. Our analyzer will perform these measurements in less than four hours. This will allow food companies to dramatically increase their testing of equipment and food prior to shipment, which should reduce outbreaks.

“A major US food supplier has been providing guidance to Real-Time Analyzers in the development of the analyzer. We are currently seeking a supplier of test equipment to the food industry as a partner so that this product can reach the market quickly.”