Development of a multiplex test for allergen and gluten detection
- Period: 2024-01-01
Ownership
Overview
This project aims to develop a new analytical method capable of both identifying allergen sources present in a food sample and quantifying each specific allergen individually and simultaneously. To achieve this, Raman spectroscopy—a technique still largely unexplored in the context of allergen analysis in the food industry—may represent the missing tool needed to address this challenge. The project is structured around three main objectives:
- Develop carbon-based nanosensors, each incorporating a unique dye that produces a distinct Raman signal depending on the dye used;
- Couple these sensors with antibodies specific to each target allergen, creating a “allergen – specific dye” pair, and integrate them into a multiplex detection system;
- Validate the method using food samples containing multiple known allergens.
The primary impact of this project is the ability to simultaneously detect and differentiate between multiple allergens using a fast and specific method. This offers a valuable tool for managing cross-contamination in food production chains, agriculture, and even in medical contexts. The second impact lies in the development of a multiplex analytical platform that can, in principle, be adapted to detect virtually any type of molecule of interest (e.g., mycotoxins, pesticides, antibiotics, microorganisms), provided a specific antibody is available.
