Melamine detection is a critical component of food safety because melamine is a chemical compound that can pose a health risk when present in food products. When ingested, melamine can cause serious health problems, especially when consumed in large amounts. Recent studies have also found that even trace amounts of melamine consumed over a long period of time (due to the release of melamine from melamine-made tableware) can also lead to poor health. It has been linked to kidney stones, renal damage and other health problems. Therefore, it is important to prevent its presence in food products.
Methods for detecting melamine in food products currently include techniques such as liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and immunoassays. These methods are used by food safety authorities, manufacturers and testing laboratories to verify the absence or safe levels of melamine in various foods. Our SpectroChip technology was used to successfully develop an immunoassay reader – the One InstantCare device – which was used to test the detection of melamine in conjunction with a rapid lateral flow immunoassay. The test results indicate that traces of melamine can be detected with high sensitivity (in the parts per billion (ppb) level).
