"Handwashing 'Lie Detectors' Could Ensure Food Safety in Kitchens"

PathSpot, a New York tech startup, has developed a hand hygiene device called the Handscanner, which acts as a "handwashing lie detector" to detect residual contaminants on employees' hands in food service locations. The device uses light fluorescence spectroscopy to identify molecules that can transmit foodborne illnesses and prompts employees to rewash their hands if contamination is detected. It also tracks handwashing compliance and generates real-time employee data to improve hygiene protocols. Investors include the founders of Chopt Creative Salad Co. and Valor Siren Ventures, formed with an anchor investment from Starbucks, reflecting a growing urgency in the restaurant industry to modernize food safety practices.