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Electrochemical tropomyosin allergen immunosensor for complex food matrix analysis
A Angulo-Ibáñez1, U Eletxigerra1, X Lasheras2
1Surface Chemistry and Nanofabrication Unit, IK4-Tekniker, Eibar, Spain.
Analytica Chimica Acta
|August 8, 2019
Summary
A new immunosensor detects trace shrimp tropomyosin (TPM) using magnetic beads and screen-printed electrodes. This cost-effective sensor offers high sensitivity and specificity for routine food allergen analysis.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biosensors
Background:
- Food allergies are a significant public health concern, with crustaceans being common allergens.
- Accurate detection of undeclared allergens in food is crucial for consumer safety and regulatory compliance.
- Existing methods for allergen detection can be time-consuming, expensive, and require specialized equipment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and optimize a sensitive and specific immunosensor for the detection of shrimp tropomyosin (TPM).
- To evaluate the performance of magnetic microbeads (MBs) versus magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as solid supports for the immunosensor.
- To demonstrate the applicability of the developed immunosensor for analyzing real food samples, including processed foods.
Main Methods:
- Development of a sandwich immunoassay using carboxyl-functionalized magnetic microbeads (MBs) and disposable screen-printed electrodes.
- Amperometric detection of shrimp TPM using H2O2 as an enzymatic substrate and hydroquinone as a redox mediator.
- Optimization of experimental conditions to achieve high sensitivity and selectivity, with comparison against other protein sources.
Main Results:
- The optimized immunosensor utilizing MBs demonstrated a limit of detection (LOD) of 47 pg/mL for shrimp TPM.
- The sensor exhibited high selectivity, successfully differentiating shrimp TPM from TPM in other sources, including mollusks.
- Successful application in analyzing crude and cooked shrimp samples, as well as processed foods, without prior purification.
Conclusions:
- The developed magnetic bead-based immunosensor provides a sensitive, specific, and cost-effective solution for shrimp allergen detection.
- The simple protocol and high performance make it suitable for routine implementation in the food industry for allergen analyses.
- This technology offers advantages over existing methods in terms of speed, cost, and ease of use.
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