Romer Labs grows allergen testing kits

By Joseph James Whitworth

- Last updated on GMT

Romer Labs expands AgraQuant F.A.S.T. test kit
Romer Labs expands AgraQuant F.A.S.T. test kit

Related tags Elisa Nut

Romer Labs has expanded two test kits for allergen testing to offer customers an increased choice of food matrixes.

The firm claims its AgraQuant F.A.S.T. enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) testing method is the fastest allergen test currently on the market.

AgraStrip is a Lateral Flow (LFD) testing line which includes test kits for 19 allergens.

Test kits are used together or sometimes separately depending on the customer’s needs.

Romer Labs wants to get the ELISA method to include the same number of allergens as the LFD device, except gluten which is not available on ELISA.

More choice

Lukas Frank, Romer Labs product manager, said the expansion will help expand its customer base and improve the options to existing customers.

“When you are testing for allergens you test for different [ones] and it is easier to have one provider so you don’t have to use different instructions and test kits,” ​he told FoodQualityNews.com.

He said ELISA is used more for end product testing such as ensuring a product is gluten-free when labelled as so and LFD is more for ingredients.

“With allergens, all methods have their pros and cons. Mass spectrometry is accurate but it is still expensive, it is more of a confirmatory method. Compare ELISA and PCR and it is about technology that recognises the allergen and not the DNA of the allergen.”   

AgraQuant ELISA kit

AgraQuant F.A.S.T. has added mustard and cashew test kits to the product line to take the total to eight allergens.

The capsule technology cuts down extraction to a minimum of one minute, resulting in a time to result of 31 minutes, said Romer Labs.

It is available for the detection of almond, casein, egg, hazelnut, macadamia nut, peanut, cashew and mustard in food, rinse waters and environmental swabs.

AgraStrip LFD test

AgraStrip is expanded with the launch of the Crustacea for the detection of crustacea in food, rinse waters and swab samples (environmental samples).

It has been validated in products including soup and on environmental surfaces.

Frank said the tests have been available worldwide from the last few months.

When asked about the particular foods involved in the test kit extensions, he said: “It depends on the research and development status and what is most performed there and we can expand the portfolio based on that.”

He said four more tests are planned for this year with soy and pistachio possibly being the next extension for the ELISA device.

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