Unlocking Food Safety: Exclusive Interview with Abi Barnes, Founder & CEO of Amulet – The Innovative Food Allergen Sensor Company

Amulet is tackling unseen risks in our food system. They focus on two brands: Allergy Amulet, which helps people identify allergens in their meals, and Amulet Scientific, which equips food producers with technology to detect harmful substances. We chatted with Abi Barnes, the founder and CEO, to get the inside scoop on the company.

Abi Barnes: A Brief Background

Abi Barnes has a unique journey. She started out as a licensed attorney, specializing in environmental law after earning two advanced degrees from Yale. Instead of joining a law firm, she chose to dedicate her efforts to Amulet. She believes improving food safety is vital and can save lives, especially for those managing food allergies.

The Birth of Amulet

The idea for Amulet came from Barnes’ own experiences with food allergies. She waited for advanced detection technology but found nothing. After meeting a scientist with promising tech who also had allergies, she decided to make her vision a reality. Barnes wants to change how people approach food allergies beyond just avoiding problem foods and carrying emergency meds.

Core Products

Amulet works on making hidden food threats visible. Their key brands include:

• Allergy Amulet – A device that detects food allergens right at the dining table.
• Amulet Scientific – This branch focuses on providing manufacturers with rapid detection tools for food toxins.

Challenges and Growth

Like many startups, Amulet faced challenges, particularly with fundraising. Only about 2% of venture funding goes to female founders, and the current fundraising climate is tough. However, Amulet recently secured funding to move into manufacturing their wearable allergen detector, with plans to release it in 2025.

Progress and Achievements

Over the years, Amulet has made significant strides, including:

• Publishing peer-reviewed research.
• Securing two patents and five more pending.
• Receiving government grants.
• Completing successful beta testing with customers.
• Raising over $10 million in venture capital.

Many customers share their stories about how the product could change their lives for the better. Barnes believes just making a small difference in people’s lives is a huge win for the company.

Future Aspirations

Abi has ambitious plans for Amulet. They aim to launch their device in 2025, initially focusing on gluten and soy detection, and later expanding to peanuts and the top nine allergens that affect most people with allergies.

Market Potential

Amulet targets a vast audience in the U.S., with 33 million people dealing with food allergies and another 23 million managing gluten-related disorders. That’s a lot of lives they could potentially improve!

Standing Out

What makes Amulet different? While they have a competitor in the gluten detection market, Amulet’s wearable device is smaller, faster, and more affordable. It’s designed to fit easily into everyday life, whether worn as jewelry or kept on a keychain.