Agrifood

The Malabar snapper (Lutjanus malabricus) is a highly sought-after carnivorous fish species, extensively cultured in Singapore and the Indo-Pacific region. Despite its aquaculture significance, no commercial feeds specifically designed to meet its nutritional requirements are available. Instead, production relies on generic diets, which are not cost-effective nor optimized for Malabar snapper’s growth and well-being. This existing practice not only drives up feed costs but also hampers productivity and increases the species' vulnerability to diseases. To address these challenges, a tailored feed formulation for Malabar snapper has been developed to minimize reliance on fish meal by incorporating cost-effective, locally sourced alternative protein ingredients. This innovative approach is designed to optimize growth performance, enhance nutrient utilization, and strengthen health outcomes in Malabar snapper aquaculture.

Collagen is the body's most abundant protein, making up 25-35% of all proteins. It's a vital component of connective tissues in skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Primarily composed of amino acids—30% glycine, 20% proline, and 10% hydroxyproline—collagen's unique triple-helix structure delivers exceptional strength, elasticity, and flexibility. It supports skin, nail, and hair health, boosts bone density, reduces osteoporosis risk, and enhances gut health. Common sources of collagen include meat, bone broth, fish, gelatin, and dairy. However, traditional collagen products often rely on animal or marine sources, using harsh chemical extraction methods that risk contamination, pose health hazards, and contribute to environmental destruction through waste and animal cruelty. This plant-based collagen precursor powder offers a clean, functional, sustainable, eco-friendly alternative (no e number ingredients). The formulation is enriched with amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, vital for collagen synthesis and stability, supporting muscle structure, and reducing collagen breakdown. Rigorously tested for functionality and safety, it avoids harmful chemicals and animal exploitation, significantly reducing environmental impact. The technology owner seeks to work with the OEMs of FMCG/CPGs to incorporate the functional blend in varied foods.

Stomata, tiny pores on the surface of leaves, are opened or closed under the control of a pair of guard cells for gas exchange with the atmosphere. Through these pores, plants uptake the carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis and release water by transpiration, which enhances the uptake of nutrients from the roots. Therefore, regulation of stomatal openings is essential for plant growth and survival in response to various environmental conditions.  Improper regulation or dysfunction of stomata can lead to drying out and wilting of vegetables and flowers, resulting in loss of freshness during transportation and hence, wastages. Following a study to improve plants’ drying tolerance and productivity by controlling the opening and closing of plant pores, the research team has identified natural compounds that have the effect of closing the stomata to preserve freshness and successfully developed more potent analogs.  The research team is looking for companies to partner in joint development of applications such as sprays and volatile sheets as freshness retention agents for vegetables and flowers.

This protein powder is packed with high protein and calcium. Rich in umami taste, this protein powder is an effective natural flavour enhancer, suitable to be incorporated into any kind of foods for more nutritious meals. The protein powder is sustainably sourced and produced from minced fish by-products from the surimi process.  The technology is at pilot scale and is ready for commercial scale up. With an environmentally friendly technology process, the powder is promoting zero waste strategies and SDGs No. 2, 3 ,11, 12 and 13. The technology provider is seeking for collaborators to co-develop and apply the powder into various other products.

This software platform is a revolutionary remote monitoring and control system designed to address several critical challenges faced by various industries. Problem Solved:  Centralized Monitoring: Many customers struggle with the lack of a unified platform for real-time monitoring of devices, leading to reliance on manual interventions and multiple scattered tools. The software consolidates the management of IoT devices across diverse locations into a single interface, streamlining operations.                        Data Analysis Challenges: Businesses often find it difficult to extract meaningful insights from collected data due to time-consuming manual analysis. The software automates this process, enabling users to interpret trends and identify potential issues effortlessly.  Data Visualization and Alerts: Users frequently lack intuitive interfaces for visualizing device data or receiving timely notifications. The software provides customizable dashboards and configurable alerts, allowing proactive management of potential problems. Target Market: The software platform caters to a wide range of sectors including facility management (monitoring HVAC, lighting, energy consumption), industrial operations (predictive maintenance), agriculture (environmental monitoring), and smart cities (traffic flow and air quality). Market Need: The technology addresses a significant gap in the marketplace by offering an integrated solution that enhances efficiency, reduces operational costs, and improves decision-making through advanced data visualization and automation. This software positions as a valuable asset for organizations seeking to optimize their monitoring processes and resource management. The technology owner is seeking collaboration with system integrators, facility management teams, IoT companies, and startups.

Coffee cherry is the fruit that encompasses the coffee beans. It is usually discarded after the extraction of coffee beans. The team has deployed advanced scientific methods to develop a nutraceutical product derived from coffee cherry. The technology is a sustainable process where minimal byproduct is produced and greenhouse being gas emitted. Clinically tested to be food safe and with high bio-efficacy, the nutraceutical being rich in antioxidants, promotes healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, supports cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic disorders. Additionally, it improves blood circulation, reduces oxidative stress, and enhances overall metabolic function. This innovation not only promotes human health but also contributes to environmental sustainability, making it a powerful solution for health conscious consumers coupled with ecofriendly production. The technology provider would like to license the technology to collaborate with food and beverage manufacturers and to work with institute of higher learning to research on other bioactive compounds found in coffee cherries.

Side stream valorisation in sectors such as food and beverage manufacturing has gained substantial interest over the years. The waste streams, in particularly the liquid has high amount of nutrients and organics, in which suitable bioprocesses can be deployed to convert them into value-added products. One product of interest is the purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB), a metabolically diverse group of proteobacteria that contains pigments bacteriochlorophyll a and b. Attributed to its unique versatile metabolic pathways, PPB can be used as powerful pollutant removal in different types of wastewater treatments, under stressful conditions. Its light utilization process and hormone secreting properties also made PPB a good bio-fertilizer and bio-stimulant for plant growth.  This proposed PPB cultivation technology in photobioreactor (PBR) system has greater treatment efficiency and higher biomass conversion rate than conventional open pond systems. Biomass generated from this cultivation technology demonstrated its ability to enhance essential nutrients in soil and supply key plant hormones that aid in plant growth. This novel application of PPB can be adopted in the agriculture industry, in the effort to develop more eco-friendly agricultural inputs.  The technology provider is seeking for collaborators to test bed the technology to license the technology.

Globally, the post-harvest loss of tropical fruits due to short shelf life is estimated to be around 30-50% of total production. This translates to approximately 30 million tons of fruit wasted each year. The economic cost is substantial, amounting to billions of dollars annually, affecting producers, retailers, and consumers due to reduced availability and increased prices. Proliferation of fungal and bacterial population further adversely impact the shelf life and fruit health. Our innovation offers tailored, edible coating using regulatory approved ingredients specific to the fruit family and microbiomes observed in the farms. Tests conducted in labs and farms over the past two years have provided positive results for tropical fruits such as mango, avocado and papaya in doubling shelf life. This solution has multiple benefits to the stakeholders in the industry value chain. The farmer and aggregator can sell with better assurance to wider export markets and also charge a premium for fresher, tastier and longer lasting fruits. This also provides more time for retailers to sell the produce and to reduce dependency on cold storage and costly supply chain management. This innovation contributes significantly towards better food security and sustainability goals. The technology provider is seeking to conduct further trial with farmers, aggregators in Asia to enhance their solution.

The plant-based abalone is designed and prepared with mung beans, which are rich in protein, but the mung bean protein is often treated as a side stream in the industry. The plant-based abalone contains protein content comparable to that of real abalone. It also contains enhanced nutrients such as essential fatty acids which can potentially play a key role in heart health, cancer prevention, cognitive function, skin health, and obesity prevention. In addition, when cooked, this plant-based abalone presents physical properties like the real abalone, at a fraction of the cost. The technology provider is working on larger scale trials to develop optimal methods for central kitchen operations and looking to collaborate with the food industry on R&D and also to license the technology.