Ultrasensitive, extremely rapid lateral flow assays exploiting nanoparticles for the detection of biogenic amines and the detection of adulteration of food with meat products
Objectives:
This collaborative research project focuses on three important targets for food quality control and clinical diagnostics – all of which require cost-effect, rapid and easy-to-use tools for implementation on site at the point-of-need. The areas to be addressed in each of three workpackages are:
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Biogenic amines in foods
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Adulteration of foods with meat products
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Human viruses
Aim 1:
The development of cost-effective, easy to use, disposable devices for the rapid detection of biogenic amines in foodstuffs.
An excessive oral intake of biogenic amines can provoke adverse reactions, including headaches, migraines, nausea, rashes, hypertension and blood pressure changes.
There are thus two main reasons for the determination of biogenic amines in food:
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their potential toxicity;
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the possibility to use them as food quality markers.
Aim 2:
The development of lateral flow assays and electrode arrays for the detection and identification of meat adulteration in food products for use at the point-of-need, which are ultrasensitive, extremely rapid, operational at room temperature and highly cost-effective.
Aim 3:
The technologies developed exploiting aptamers, DNA detection and lateral flow will be extended to the development of tools for the rapid detection of viruses using advanced molecular diagnostics.