CSMA offers food for thought

CSMA has played an important role in a groundbreaking European project aimed at developing a food analysis tool, capable of detecting toxins.

The surface analysis firm CSMA, a subsidiary of CERAM, the internationally renowned centre for materials and technology, is one of several research partners involved in the IFCA (Immunoprobes for Food Contamination Analysis) scheme.

Using techniques including XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) and ToFSIMS (Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass spectrometry) to examine the extreme surface of a material, experts at CSMA have been looking at different ways to activate surfaces in order to immobilise proteins.

This process enables quick and accurate toxin identification to take place.

Tony Kinsella, managing director of CSMA, comments: "The work being carried out for the IFCA project is really quite exciting and could have serious, but positive, implications for the food and drink industry.

"As well as producing a new technique for food safety test laboratories, the project also has the potential to see a consumer friendly 'dipstick' test product developed which could, for example, be useful for people that suffer from food allergies.".

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