Cho Young Kwan, Choi Yoonjeong, Kim Soohyun, Kim Hyunho, Chow Kwok-Fan, Shin Ik-Soo, Park Jay Hoon, Lee Hakho
Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA.
Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Biosens Bioelectron. 2025 Apr 1;273:117142. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2025.117142. Epub 2025 Jan 13.
Food allergies affect millions of individuals worldwide, significantly impacting personal health and the economy. While avoiding allergenic foods remains the primary management strategy, consumers lack reliable means for immediate allergen detection in everyday dining settings. Here, we present iEAT2 (integrated Exogenous Allergen Test 2), an advanced electrochemical sensing system for rapid, on-site food allergen detection. Building upon our previous assay system, the iEAT2 features technical breakthroughs: i) a complete kit for sample processing, including a torsion device for food grinding, and ii) a new strategy for multi-electrode measurements, which enables the simultaneous detection of multiple allergens in a simplified electronic architecture. We designed a compact iEAT2 prototype capable of 16 electrochemical reactions. Experimental validation confirmed the independent electrochemical measurements in a simultaneous operation. Furthermore, the entire testing protocol was completed within 15 min, from allergen extraction to detection. The platform detected three common food allergens (gliadin, Ara h1, and ovalbumin) at concentrations below established allergic reaction thresholds. It also effectively identified cross-contamination events in real-world food samples. This technology may empower consumers to monitor food safety and improve its management.
食物过敏影响着全球数百万人，对个人健康和经济产生重大影响。虽然避免食用致敏食物仍然是主要的管理策略，但消费者在日常用餐环境中缺乏可靠的即时过敏原检测方法。在此，我们展示了iEAT2（集成外源性过敏原测试2），这是一种用于快速现场食物过敏原检测的先进电化学传感系统。基于我们之前的检测系统，iEAT2具有技术突破：i）一个完整的样品处理试剂盒，包括用于食物研磨的扭转装置；ii）一种多电极测量的新策略，能够在简化的电子架构中同时检测多种过敏原。我们设计了一个能够进行16种电化学反应的紧凑型iEAT2原型。实验验证证实了在同时操作中进行独立的电化学测量。此外，从过敏原提取到检测，整个测试方案在15分钟内完成。该平台检测到三种常见食物过敏原（麦醇溶蛋白、花生过敏蛋白1和卵清蛋白）的浓度低于既定的过敏反应阈值。它还有效地识别了实际食物样本中的交叉污染事件。这项技术可能使消费者能够监测食品安全并改善其管理。
