Recent cases of adulteration with melamine have led to the need for rapid and reliable screening methods. The discovery of melamine in pet food, animal feed, milk and protein sources including wheat gluten, rice protein concentrate, and corn gluten created an urgent need for rapid methods for detecting melamine in food. Melamine (2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine) is used in the production of plastics, in finishers for paper, in fertilizer, as a flame retardant, and in the manufacture of wrinkle-free textiles.
The recently released Melamine Plate kit (Abraxis, Warminster, Pa.) displayed a limit of detection of 9 ng/ml for melamine in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and approximately 1 µg/ml for melamine added to dog food. Using the Melamine ELISA, both extraction protocols yielded identical results with a dog food sample adulterated with melamine. The recovery of melamine spiked into gravy from dog food using UD was app. 75%.  In conclusion, the ELISA for melamine proved to be a useful alternative to more cumbersome methods.

Assay procedure
The Melamine plate kit is a competitive enzyme-labeled immunoassay. Melamine is extracted from a sample by blending or shaking with extraction solution. The Melamine HRP conjugate, sample extract and calibrators are pipetted into the test wells coated with Melamine antibody to initiate the reaction. During the 30 minute incubation period, Melamine from the sample and Melamine HRP conjugate compete for binding to Melamine antibody. Following this 30 minute incubation, the contents of the well are removed and the wells are washed to remove any unbound Melamine, and Melamine HRP conjugate. After washing with the diluted wash solution, a clear substrate is then added to the wells and any bound enzyme conjugate causes the conversion to a blue color. Following a 20 minute incubation, the reaction is stopped and the amount of color in each well is read. The color of the unknown samples is compared to the color of the calibrators and the Melamine concentration of the samples is derived.

The Melamine assay has an estimated minimum detectable concentration in buffer of 10 ppb. Read more

The Melamine ELISA kit has been evaluated along with other commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits for the detection of triazines. Please contact biosense@biosense.com for the article “Detection of Melamine Using Commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Technology” by Garber, E. A. E. Journal of Food Protection, Vol.71, No. 3, 2008, Pages 590-594

For further information please contact us at biosense@biosense.com 

Importance of Sudan Red Determination
Sudan dyes are inexpensive fat-soluble azo compounds, used mainly as colorants in the manufacturing of oils, wax products, lacquers and inks since their bright and vivant colors can improve the luster of commercial products. Sudan I is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC). Sudan II, the dimethyl derivative of Sudan I has been shown to cause bladder carcinomas in mice at a high frequency. Due to their potential carcinogenicity, many countries have banned the use of Sudan dyes (I - IV) in products for human consumption. Similar to Sudan I, Para
Red has also been shown to be carcinogen.

Sudan dyes are often used illegally to enhance and/or maintain the appearance of food products, such bell peppers, curry, chili powders, etc. Contamination of meat products has also occurred. Therefore, control of Sudan Red dyes in food products is crucial to insure food safety.

General description
The Sudan Red ELISA is an immunoassay for the quantitative and sensitive screening of Sudan Red and analogs. This test is suitable for the quantitative and/or qualitative screening of Sudan Red in food samples such as tomato juice, tomato sauce, chili sauce, chili powder, etc. (please refer to the appropriate technical bulletins for extraction/dilution procedures). Samples requiring regulatory action should be confirmed by HPLC, GC/MS, or other conventional methods.

The Sudan Red ELISA allows the determination of 42 samples in duplicate determination. The test can be performed in approximately 1 hour

For further information please contact us at biosense@biosense.com

Dioxins are by-products of industrial practices such as incineration, bleaching, pesticide production, metal smeltering etc., can be found as manufacturing impurities in certain classes of herbicides, disinfectants and bleaches, and in emissions from incinerators and car exhaust. 

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were commercially produced as complex mixtures for a variety of applications, including dielectric fluids for capacitors and transformers, hydraulic fluids, lubricating oils, and as additives in many products. PCBs have entered the environment through both use and disposal. Since PCBs do not readily degrade in the environment and are lipophilic, they persist and tend to bioaccumulate. Both Dioxins and PCBs have demonstrated serious toxic effects and are now under strict regulation. PCBs were banned in the early 80s, but can still be found in soil and sediments, in old paint, concrete, and light fittings.

PCB kit: Biosense Laboratories AS can offer several PCB kits and a PBDE kit for testing of water, (ground water, surface water, well water, effluent) and soil. read more

Test kits to detect Herbicides, Pesticides, Dioxins and PCBs in soil and sediment are part of the BIOSENSE ENVIRONSAFE™ productline. The test kits are effective tools for rapid and sensitive measurements of contamination of soil and sediment. The kits are cost-effective alternatives/supplements to current test methods when developers and builders need to decide on how to best utilize a site and how to reduce potential negative impacts on the environment.