Using natures sense for smell and taste to improve food products
InsectSense, a biotechnology start-up from Wageningen (The Netherlands), closed a €800k pre-seed round with Capricorn Partners, Oost NL and an angel investor. The company focusses on the development of its ReceptomiX technology for objective measurement of taste properties. The investment will enable the company to prepare its technology for market introduction, expand the organization’s capabilities and further develop the ReceptomiX equipment and software.
Founded by Aria Samimi (CEO) and Leon Schipper (CTO), InsectSense is a deeptech start-up that can objectively measure taste properties. A first version of the technology has been developed that consists of a biochip with human and insect receptors, a benchtop device that reads-out signals and software that allows for the interpretation of the data.
Objectively measuring taste fills gap
The ReceptomiX technology objectively and rapidly measures the bioactivity of molecules and compounds on humans, such as taste experience and health effects. Unlike traditional analytical tools that identify the molecules present in a product, ReceptomiX is mimicking insect antennae and combines human DNA for sensing to provide insights into how these molecules are perceived by humans. This approach fills a critical gap, as flavour- and food producers often rely on subjective human panels for such assessments.
For further reading, please go to Capricorn’s website.