Miss Singapore is looking better than ever - thanks to a York firm.

Spray it again: Miss Singapore orchids being sprayed with Biocode's covert marker

The quality of the orchid known as Miss Singapore is being monitored with the help of advanced technology from York-based covert-marking specialist Biocode.

The patent-pending hybrid orchid, owned by Orchidville Pte Ltd, based in Singapore, is made particularly distinctive by its long stem and extended vase life.

Biocode has been developing the technology used by Orchidville since the early 1990s. After the flowers have been cut they are treated with pesticides and hung out to dry.

At this point they are also sprayed with a water-based concentrate containing a Biocode marker - based on molecular lock and key technology. The marker can only be detected using the specific recognition molecule in the Biocode test kit.

At any time, a single flower can be removed, shaken in a vial with an extraction solution and a few drops tested on site to identify the flower. The purpose of this is to allow the supplier to make sure that his proprietary hybrid is not copied and to make sure that when flowers are returned with a complaint asking for a refund, it can be proven that they were actually sold by Orchidville.

Biocode's operations manager Robin Jenkins said: "The Miss Singapore is an exquisite flower, Biocode's covert marking technology is highly effective in ensuring the hybrid is not counterfeited and the reputation of the supplier is never compromised."

The company's authentication systems are used within various markets including spirits and beverages, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agrochemicals and petroleum.

Established in 1989, Biocode, which has 27 employees, received the £45,000 Smart Award from the Department of Trade and Industry last year for its innovation.

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