Improved biochemical hybrid for a cost-effective gluten sensor - I2I Phase I

谷蛋白是一种天然存在于小麦、黑麦和大麦等植物中的蛋白质，已知会在世界上多达1.4%的乳糜泻患者中引起严重的自身免疫反应，并且越来越多地成为饮食选择的目标。测试食品中的面筋是具有挑战性的，特别是对消费者来说，但也对食品制造商。现有测试所需的时间、相关成本以及无法准确测试加工食品中的面筋以及不同pH值和温度条件下的面筋，进一步激励开发更好的基于实验室的面筋测试技术。该提案的重点是开发我们先进的面筋传感技术，并最终将其转化为台式面筋检测设备;预计这项工作将在以后带来快速，准确和可靠的便携式解决方案。与我们的合作伙伴合作，包括FoodChek Systems Inc（加拿大）。作为一家专门从事食品安全测试的公司，研究小组将选择和测试适当的适体和兼容的基于荧光的传感器材料，验证结果，并设计和测试能够识别和测量荧光反应的滤光器。这项工作已经获得了多项专利，并有望实现商业化，带来可观的经济效益。作为领先的面筋检测解决方案，该产品已在世界各地的食品生产和消费市场中使用，目前依赖于耗时且精度有限的测试方法。该技术还可用于开发其他过敏原检测设备，提高产品安全性。最终，我们的目标是让过敏症患者对他们的食物充满信心。 消费

Gluten, a protein naturally present in plants such as wheat, rye and barley, is known to cause serious autoimmune reactions in up to 1.4% of the world's population with Celiac disease, and is increasingly the target of dietary choices. Testing for gluten in food is challenging, especially for consumers, but also for food manufacturers. The time required for existing tests, the associated costs, and an inability to test accurately for gluten in processed foods and in varying pH and temperature conditions provide further incentive to develop better lab based and 'on the go' gluten testing technologies. This proposal is focused on the development of our advanced gluten sensing technology and its eventual transformation to a bench-top gluten detection device; with the expectation that this work will later lead to fast, accurate and reliable portable solutions. Working with our partners, including FoodChek Systems Inc (Canada). a company specializing in food safety tests, the research team will select and test an appropriate aptamer and compatible fluorescence-based sensor material, validate the results, and design and test an optical filter able to identify and measure the fluorescence response. The proposed work has led to a number of patents already and is expected to be commercialized to substantial economic benefit. As a leading gluten detection solution, the product has uses around the world in a food production and consumption market that currently relies on a time consuming and limited accuracy testing approach. The technology additionally has application for the development of other allergen detection devices, increasing product safety. Ultimately, the goal is to provide allergy sufferers with confidence in their food consumption.