3 Top Allergen-Testing Procedures for Food Processing Startups
Posted on: 10 January 2019
According to industry experts, Australia has a significant role to play in feeding the world, considering the emerging global food insecurity and the fact that the world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. If you plan to start a food processing plant, then you will become an integral cog in the food supply system. However, you must meet all allergen labelling requirements before you package your food products for shipment. Part of this entails conducting allergen testing and listing the allergens that are present in your food products. Since numerous testing methods are used to monitor allergen presence and prevent cross-contamination, it is crucial to select a procedure that meets your needs. This article highlights the best testing methods available at your disposal.
1. Strip Tests -- This allergen-testing method relies on the complex chemical reactions of antibody-coated coloured beads with an allergenic protein sample. When the allergen sample mixes with antibody coloured beads on the absorbent strip, a coloured test line appears. The coloured reaction indicates a positive sample, meaning that the product contains allergens. In case the sample is free of allergens, the absorbent strip will not display the coloured test line. Since the strip test is cheap, easy to use and results are available within a few minutes, it is the best testing method for a startup. Moreover, it is an instrument-free method thereby making it the perfect allergen-testing technique while out in the field.
2. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) -- ELISA is one of the most common allergen detection methods in the industry. The technique is highly accurate because it can detect allergen contaminants in deficient concentrations -- parts per million (ppm) -- ranges. Notably, by identifying allergens at the molecular level, ELISA provides definitive results irrespective of the amount of test sample available. If you want a testing method that has a quick turnaround, then the ELISA technique is the most suitable. The test allows food processors to pull or re-label tainted products before they leave a manufacturing plant thereby ensuring that you abide by labelling requirements.
3. Biosensors -- Biological sensors are increasingly becoming the testing devices of choice, and it is believed that they will replace traditional testing methods in the future. In the biosensor technique, allergen detection is based on changes arising from anti-allergen antibodies binding to the allergen molecule being tested. The biological response from the reaction is then converted into an electrical impulse which is used to calculate allergen concentration in the sample. Biosensors are by far the quickest testing methods since allergen and antibody reactions are observed in real-time.
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