We've updated our Privacy Policy to make it clearer how we use your personal data. We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. You can read our Cookie Policy here.

Advertisement

Improved Testing for Multiple Treenut Allergens

Listen with
Speechify
0:00
Register for free to listen to this article
Thank you. Listen to this article using the player above.

Want to listen to this article for FREE?

Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.

Read time: 1 minute
Sensitive and accurate detection of treenuts is an important process for food manufacturers, but can be costly and time consuming. Neogen has recently introduced the Reveal® for Multi-Treenut test, which can simultaneously detect the presence of six treenut allergens.
To learn more about the test and its benefits, we spoke to Pauline Titchener, Business Development Executive for Allergens and Speciation, Neogen.


AM: Neogen has recently launched the Reveal for Multi-Treenut allergen test. Can you tell us a little about this test?

PT: Reveal for Multi-Treenut is our latest product release and is a rapid lateral flow test which screens for the presence of any one or a combination of six tree nuts with one test. It is the first test of its kind on the market and provides the user with results in only ten minutes following a simple one minute extraction. Our test is extremely sensitive, detecting residues at 5-10 parts per million (ppm) of almond, hazelnut, pecan, walnut, cashew and pistachio on environmental surfaces, rinse waters and food products following validation. 

            RMTNut Testing.JPG RMTNut Kit Image.JPG

AM: How does this test compare to single tree-nut allergen detection products in terms of sensitivity, ease of use, speed and accuracy?

PT: Currently there are no multi-analyte lateral flow tests to detect multiple tree nuts – so this product is unique, there is also limited availability of rapid lateral flow tests for some of the tree nuts specified within current legislation, take pecan for example. 

Compared with our Reveal 3-D range of rapid single allergen screening tests, Reveal for Multi-Treenut offers the same high sensitivity and accuracy to detect allergen proteins at very low ppm levels. The tests operate in a very similar way and are both extremely easy to use with fast results in 10 minutes or less, following extraction, across our full range of rapid allergen screening methods.

AM: What advantages does a multi-test offer?

PT: We carried out extensive market research and one of the stand-out points which came through was a strong requirement from food manufacturers to screen for more than one nut at the same time. We know that it is common in food production environments for a commingling of tree nuts to occur and our test has been designed with the user in mind to simplify existing cleaning validation and verification procedures whilst being cost and time effective. 

AM: Customer requests for a single test fuelled the development of the test. What has feedback been like? 

PT: Since launching our test last month, the initial response so far has been great! We have had some really positive feedback from our customers and also a lot of interest in the research and development behind a test which screens for multiple tree nut allergens. The fact that our product is unique in the marketplace is a great advantage and customers are enjoying the benefits of reducing their testing time whilst having confidence that their facilities are free from these six nuts. 

For more information, please visit http://www.neogeneurope.com/Multi-Treenut/ 
 
Pauline Titchener was speaking to Anna-Marie MacDonald, Editor for Technology Networks.