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Fast growing food safety testing firm Curtis Analytics relocates to Discovery Park

Entrepreneurial scientist Dr Tanya Curtis plans further expansion & new business ideas

Sandwich, Kent, February 15 2021 – Fast-growing food safety testing firm Curtis Analytics has relocated to Discovery Park, the Life Sciences Opportunity Zone for ambitious and growing life sciences companies, taking advantage of its grow-on space and high specification facilities. The company is a leader in the automated detection of asparagine, a precursor of the potentially carcinogenic (cancer causing) chemical acrylamide, in foods. Curtis Analytics’ four staff occupy 1,400 sq ft of laboratory and office space, with additional staff expected in due course.

Dr Curtis is an expert in acrylamide formation in foodstuffs, having been a researcher in this area for over a decade with much of the foundational work supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). This work has included collaborations with household name food brands and input into European Commission regulations for benchmark levels of acrylamide in food. The company was formed as a spin-out of Rothamsted Research in 2017.

Funding from Innovate UK has also been awarded previously to Curtis Analytics for the development of ASNInsta Test, a rapid test for asparagine in flour, as well as for an ongoing project to drive food acrylamide policy in the UK and elsewhere. Curtis Analytics is able to process a market-leading 26,000 tests per year, helping food manufacturers ensure their products meet safety guidelines.

Acrylamide is formed from precursors like asparagine when foods such as potatoes, beans and cereals are cooked at more than 120˚C, for example during baking or roasting. These reactions also give the foods their flavour, colour and smell.

Dr Tanya Curtis, Director, Curtis Analytics, said ‘The team is delighted to be fully operational in our new premises at Discovery Park. With our high specification laboratories and space to expand, Curtis Analytics is ready for its next stage of development. I’m also looking forward to developing other business ideas, such as biodegradeable packaging for fertilisers, alongside the innovative community here.’

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said, ‘Exciting, fast-growing companies like Curtis Analytics are the life blood of Discovery Park, and we are delighted that it has relocated here. With its plans to expand and entrepreneurial spirit, the company is a great asset to the Park.’
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Media Contact Information :

For more information about Discovery Park please contact:
Discovery Park
Emma Palmer Foster, Communications
+44 (0)7880 787185
info@discovery-park.co.uk

Editor’s Notes
ABOUT DISCOVERY PARK (WWW.DISCOVERY-PARK.CO.UK)
Discovery Park is a thriving part of the South East’s life science community. The site offers high quality laboratory, office and manufacturing facilities, the space and support to expand, access to local finance, and a strong local scientific talent pool. It was named recently one of six prestigious UK Life Sciences Opportunity Zones by the UK Government, and is developing its vision for a Manufacturing Village.

The growing tenant community includes Pfizer, which built the site’s reputation as a centre for drug discovery and discovered some of the most famous drugs in the world here. Other tenants include Algaecytes, Canterbury Christ Church University, Concept Life Sciences, eXroid, Firza, Genea Biomedx, LGC, Viatris, Psyros Diagnostics, Salvensis, VisusNano and Wren Healthcare. Discovery Park is home to 160+ companies employing 3,500 employees in total. With easy connections to London, Europe and the world Discovery Park is a great place to build and grow your biotech, medtech or pharma business. Discover more via our website: www.discovery-park.co.uk email: info@discovery-park.co.uk or call: 01304 614060. You can also follow us on social media.
@Discovery Park_ Discovery Park – Sandwich, Kent

ABOUT CURTIS ANALYTICS
The main objective of Curtis Analytics is to help the food industry mitigate the acrylamide problem in food. Curtis Analytics is the fastest asparagine testing service company in the UK and hold contracts with five major bread and breakfast cereal producers, farmers and crisp producers. Curtis Analytics was established by Dr Tanya Curtis at the end of July 2017. For more information please go to https://curtisanalytics.co.uk/