A research project funded by the European Union (EU), called the GoodFood project, is developing portable nanotechnology devices that can detect toxins, pathogens, and chemicals in food on site. Existing methods of detection require food samples to be sent to laboratories, where it can take several days for results. The article says that on site detection would speed up the testing process, allowing for more tests to be conducted, and, thereby, improving the overall safety of food. The device will be based on an existing technology made with probes coated with antibodies that produce a reaction when they come in contact with antibiotics that is detectable by a fluorescent optical biosensor. The article says that antibiotics are currently used by farmers to treat ailing animals, but can be harmful to humans because they create resistance to antibiotic treatments. The article says that, once developed, the electronic device will be able to detect “virtually any pathogen or toxin in produce,” as well as salmonella and listeria bacteria in dairy products. The GoodFood project is also working on a device that uses DNA microchips to detect pathogens in meats and other sensors that can identify pesticides on produce.
Link to GoodFood Project
