Research project
36 | monthsPORT-BIOSENS_ MULTIALLERGEN

Development and application of portable biosensors and immunochemical methods for rapid detection of multiple allergens in food-related samples

Related toSpoke 03
Principal investigators
Maria Careri,Claudia Zoani
Other partecipantsMarco Giannetto, Monica Mattarozzi, Maurizio Piergiovanni

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Project partners

Università degli studi di Parma

Coordinator

Work packages involved

WP 3.1

Assessment of new and re-emerging risks in the food system

WP leader

Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro
WP 3.3

Advanced methods for food safety

WP leader

Università degli studi di Parma

Task involved

Task 3.1.2.

MetaOmics and MultiOmics approaches will be used for the identification and quantification of toxic compounds in novel sources or ingredients, also to anticipate risks related to novel foods and new sustainable food processes. The culture collection from task 3.1.1 will be used for challenge experiments in pilot plants mimicking industrial manufacturing. Food toxicants in new ingredients and food processing technologies will be evaluated (in connection with Spoke 2). Allergenicity (also with computational approaches) and toxicity will be considered by in vitro and in vivo tests. Exposure assessment and risk- benefit assessment (RBA) of novel foods will be performed.

Task 3.3.1.

The task includes evaluation of safety parameters in traditional and novel foods through the development of: a) chemical sensors and immunosensors for the selective detection of algal and plant toxins, and trace allergens; b) portable devices based on laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) and other spectroscopy techniques; c) Ambient Desorption Ionisation methods with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (DESI-HRMS); e) use of rt-PCR and digital droplet-PCR to evaluate new and (re)-emerging foodborne pathogenic species; f) metabolomics and proteomics strategies coupled to pathway analysis to evaluate the effects of emerging and re-emerging contaminants; d) analytical techniques, i.e., spectroscopic and MS-based, to determine biogenic amines, pesticides, veterinary drug residues, mycotoxins and processing toxicants; and g) new Matrix-Reference Materials to be characterised for food safety parameters will be developed, including preparation of test-lots, their characterization and homogeneity and stability studies.

Project deliverables

D3.1.3.3.

Report on added substances, small nano-plastics, metal nanoparticles (M30)

D3.3.1.5.

Report on the development and testing of new rapid and direct analytical tools, chemical sensors, and portable devices (M36)

State of the art

Food allergies have become an important food safety and health concern worldwide. To preserve the food chain against harmful substances, such as hidden allergens, it is mandatory to develop highly sensitive, reliable, rapid, and cost-effective sensing systems. Electrochemical biosensors are smart tools matching these requirements for reliable screening of allergens in food chains. In the same context, immunoassay (ELISA) methods are also appreciated for their specificity and sensitivity.
In addition, microfluidic technology represents an ideal choice for on-site, rapid and effective detection of multiple food allergens thanks to low sample/reagent volume consumption. Another strategic approach enabling multi-analyte screening over a large number of samples is the acquisition of spectral fingerprints aimed at identifying allergenic ingredients. 
The UNIPR analytical chemistry group boasts consolidated experience in the development of portable biosensors for food analysis.

Operation plan

  • Selection of allergens and food-related samples.  
  • Development and validation of biosensing devices based on highly specific receptors and nanostructured substrates.
  • Integration of specific sensors in multisensor platforms on portable multichannel instrumentation.
  • Development and validation of high-throughput immunoenzymatic (ELISA) screening methods. 
  • Investigation of spectral fingerprint patterns for the label-free detection of allergenic ingredients in food samples.

Expected results

  • Sensing devices suitable for the detection of any of a wide range of allergens in food samples.
  • High performance of the developed biosensors in terms of sensitivity and specificity thanks to the use of nanobiocomposite materials. 
  • Reliable and rapid laboratory tests of the ELISA methods for the processing of food samples with multi-analyte screening capabilities.
  • Multiplex allergen microarray-based immunoassay: integration of the sensing units in multichannel platforms or in sensor arrays embedded in microfluidic systems will make biosensing devices usable by food companies for the simultaneous detection of multiple allergens at threshold levels in the context of rapid and cost-effective screening of raw materials. 
  • Laser-induced fluorescence and Raman techniques will allow for rapid screening of allergenic ingredients based on label-free and unsupervised acquisition of spectral fingerprints of raw materials.