With the rising tide of food intolerance in consumers, today's society is increasingly turning to science to come up with new tools to tackle the problems. New ambitious research underway in Europe could see consumers with celiac disease testing their favourite foods for the presence of gluten.
The University Rovira i Virgili in Spain, Trace Biotech(Braunschweig), the Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz (IMM, Mainz), and seven other European partners are jointly developing a biosensor for the detection of gluten in food.
The goal of the project is to manufacture a disposable microsystem with integrated modules for a standardised extraction and analysis of gluten in food samples. The system will, for the first time, permit patients suffering from celiac disease (gluten sensitive enteropathy) to conduct an on-the-spot analysis of fresh, cooked or industrially processed food with the aid of a screening procedure.
The microsystem relies on a serological test procedure (Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay, or ELISA), which is based on a modified antibody cocktail. Analysis by optical, electrochemical or gravimetrical procedures produces identification of the toxic molecule structures of gluten within a few minutes.
In order to prevent possible problems with the application at an early stage, the project involves celiac disease patients in the development process.
IMM experts are responsible for the development of the microfluidic structures. The miniaturised disposable test-kit will be a low-cost tool and suited for the mass market, the researchers report this week.
To date, the researchers continue, there are no standardised sensor systems known that can reliably detect traces of gluten in the range of millionths of grams. Test results are frequently invalidated by a lack of tags (epitopes) in the gluten molecule, unknown genetic sequences responsible for toxicity, insufficient methods of extracting food samples, and biochemical interactions.
For consumers suffering from the celiac disease, even the tiniest contamination during the production of food declared to be free of gluten can cause a considerable risk. A pocket tool could be the answer to their problems.
Further information about the study can be obtained from the Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz, via email or telephone: +49 6131 990-174.