Mycotoxin analysis via smartphone

When detecting mycotoxins in food, speed is a decisive factor. It is essential that the analysis can be performed on-site within a minimum of time. Now there is a new solution for mycotoxin analysis: a smartphone app. We’ll show you what it’s all about and what the differences are to common lateral flow readers.

Anyone who is responsible for testing food for mycotoxins knows: Time matters and waiting a long time for the test results or sending samples to a laboratory just isn’t possible during the operating process. When a fresh delivery of grain arrives, you have to know immediately if the product is contaminated. That’s why speed is just as important as reliability when it comes to analyzing mycotoxins. Accordingly, a rapid test is usually used for on-site analysis rather than an ELISA or HPLC test.

Mycotoxin rapid tests

The fastest way to detect mycotoxins in food is with a so-called lateral flow test. This is an immuno-chromatographic rapid test in the form of a strip test. It is based on an antigen-antibody reaction: If mycotoxins are present in the sample, a red band will appear on the test strip. Based on the colour, you can read the result with the naked eye or analyze it with a reader device.

Lateral flow tests or lateral flow devices (LFDs) are widely used because they offer many advantages:

Handy format (dipstick)
Very simple test procedure
Fast results
Suitable for on-site analysis (no laboratory necessary)
Suitable for qualitative and semi-quantitative as well as quantitative determination (with reading device)

Analyzing mycotoxins via smartphone: How does it work?

If you want to perform a quantitative analysis with a lateral flow test, a special reading device is needed. However, LFD readers are often quite expensive to purchase and not always very comfortable to use. The mycotoxin analysis via a simple smartphone app is a new alternative to the LFD reader. The RIDA®SMART APP has recently been presented. We have tested the app and checked it against common LFD readers:

	RIDA®SMART APP	Common LFD readers
Mobility	Compact size; can be easily carried around at any time	Depending on its size and weight, a mobile use is only possible to a limited extent
Handling	The test strip is scanned with the smartphone; simple operation via touchscreen	The test strip is inserted into the reading device
Rapidity	Results are available within 5 minutes	Depending on model
Quality of the results	Aflatoxin concentrations are measured quantitatively at a range from 4 bis 100 µg/kg	Depending on model
Processing of the results	Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection; results can be sent to an email recipient, a printer or a LIMS	Some models have an USB port or a Bluetooth connection
Cost	No acquisition costs apart from the smartphone	Usually high initial costs for device and accessories