Quicker Test to Determine Whether Ingredients are Gluten-Free

Researchers in Europe claim they have done it.  An upcoming article in Analytical Chemistry says new technology could someday help food manufacturers more-quickly test their ingredients for the food protien, found in gluten, which, if you’re reading this blog, you know is trouble for people with celiac disease.

A news release obtained by a medical website says scientists developed “…a new sensor that detects antibodies to the protein gliadin, a component of gluten.” And that the test “…is superior to the so-called enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), now the standard test for gliadin,” taking just 90 minutes for results to come back versus nearly 8 hours. 

According to the research, the technology would be used right at the food plant. “There is a definitive need for a [test] that is easy to use, and can be used on site, to facilitate the rapid testing of incoming raw materials or monitoring for gluten contamination, by industries generating gluten-free foods,” the abstract to the research said. 

I am not sure how many of you have called companies to ask about the status of seemingly gluten-free products only to be shot down by the company saying something like “We don’t add any gluten, but we can’t guarantee the gluten-free status of the ingredients that come into our factory.”  Hopefully this kind of test would help companies get over that statement so they can feel more confident about their products.

Tags: celiac disease, companies, factory, gliadin, gluten-free, test