New Food Safety Technology Featured At ''Shrimp School '99''
GAINESVILLE, FLA. (May 13) BUSINESS WIRE -May 13, 1999--
COX Technologies (OTC BB: COXT) demonstrated its redesigned FreshTag(TM) product yesterday at the 4th annual Shrimp School in Gainesville. FreshTag(TM) is a new technology that can detect decomposition in seafood.
The Shrimp School is an educational symposium conducted by the University of Florida's Aquatic Food Products Program, and is attended by food industry suppliers, processors, importers, exporters, government inspectors and scientists.
"We were very pleased to present the FreshTag(TM) technology at the Shrimp School," said Dr. Steven Otwell, symposium coordinator and professor at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "Following commercial testing of the product, we expect it to enhance quality, freshness and safety for the seafood industry."
COX Technologies of Belmont, N.C., an industry leader in time-temperature management systems for perishable commodities, acquired the FreshTag(TM) technology last year from an FDA laboratory. The redesign improves the tag "stem" that detects the gaseous compounds emanating from the seafood. COX has also developed a new Rapid Detection Heater accessory device to be used in conjunction with the tag to enable a quantity of seafood to be tested using only a small sample.
"The applications of this technology are greater than just testing for the freshness of shrimp," said James L. Cox, chairman and chief executive officer of COX Technologies. "We are exploring the full range of applications in food processing, inspection, and eventual consumer packaging."
How it works: FreshTags(TM) are small adhesive labels (about the size of a quarter) attached to the outside of seafood packaging. Applicators create a hole on the reverse side of the label, allowing vapors generated on the inside of the packaging to diffuse into the tag. Volatile compounds produce a gradual color change in the tag. A bright pink color is eventually revealed on the visible surface of the tag, warning of impending decomposition of the seafood product. The sensitivity of the tags can be "tuned" to show exactly the signal needed for taking the right action with a certain type of seafood package.
The technology was developed by Dr. Dwight Miller and Dr. Jon Wilkes at the FDA's National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson, Ark. Last month Miller and Wilkes were the recipients of the 1999 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for their work on FreshTag(TM). The award is given annually by the 25-year-old Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, and this year was the first time an FDA laboratory invention was honored.
Information about FreshTag(TM) and other COX Technologies products is available at the company's Web site: www.cx-en.com/cox.htm. Phone inquiries can be made to COX Technologies corporate offices in Belmont at 800/848-9865.
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