Detect even trace amounts of food allergens in ingredients, finished foods, and the manufacturing environment.
Creating a safe environment for food production is different for every facility. For many facilities, lateral flow devices (LFDs) are an important tool. These rapid tests help determine the presence or absence of a specific allergen. They can be used on incoming ingredients, finished products, environmental surfaces, and rinse water. Most require little-to-no equipment and can be learned quickly. They are read by eye: simply look for lines to appear on the test strip in certain places.
They are also more sensitive and specific than general protein swabs, although both types of test have their uses. Plus, LFDs are quicker and more cost-effective than ELISA testing.
Worth noting: some LFDs offer limited quantification of samples, via LFD Readers. Emport LLC is happy to discuss these options, however for most users the quick “yes or no” answer is sufficient.
Lateral Flow Devices (or LFDs) refer to a category of test and not a specific brand or product. Because every situation is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all test kit or test line. Emport LLC is pleased to offer a variety of kits; our team can help make suggestions to best-fit your needs. By providing easy, actionable information, LFDs can save any facility time and money.
OnSite® III Allergen
The OnSite® III Allergen test kits are designed for maximum efficiency and safety. Useful for validation of any Allergen Control Program, as well as daily monitoring. Test surfaces, incoming ingredients, finished products, rinse water, or finished goods.
With a simple procedure and no equipment required, the kits can be used anywhere that food is made. The test should only be performed by trained personnel.
OnSite® III Allergen test kits at a glance:
- Test works on products, surfaces and rinse water
- Equipment Required: None
- Qualitative 3-line Results
- Time to Results: 20 minutes
- Storage: Refrigerate 2-8 °C (36-46 °F)
- Available for 15+ Allergens
- Surface Testing requires the OnSite® III Allergen Accessory Kit.
- Test for multiple allergens from a single sample extraction
Testing for multiple allergens at once? A single swab or extracted sample can be used to multiple allergens. This saves time and money, reduces waste, and ensures consistent sampling across allergens. Please note: this only applies to kits with a common LFD buffer.
The OnSite® III Allergen Accessory Kit (PA-46) is required for all surface testing and sold separately. Kit includes:
- 10 single-use breakaway swabs
- 10 single-use extraction vials
Accessory Kit can be used for all OnSite® III Allergen test kits that use the OnSite® III Allergen LFD Buffer A. Use one swab to test for multiple allergens, saving time and reducing single-use plastics.
Test Kits are available for the following allergens:
- Almond
- Casein
- Cashew
- Coconut
- Crustacean
- Egg
- m-Gluten
- Hazelnut
- Macadamia
- Milk
- Mustard
- Peanut
- Pine Nut
- Pistachio
- Sesame
- Soy
- Walnut/Pecan
- Multiplex Tree Nut
Consider OnSite Allergen Multiplex Tree Nut. Kit contains everything you need to simultaneously test for 6 common tree nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, and walnut) on working surfaces. OnSite® Allergen Multiplex Tree Nut at a glance:
- Use: Surfaces and rinsewater
- Suitability: Raw and processed tree nut protein from almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio and walnut
- Limit of Detection: 1-5 mg/kg (ppm) of tree nut protein in rinsewater or 10μg/ 100 cm2 on surfaces
- Equipment Required: none
- Time to results: 15-20 minutes
- Storage: Refrigerated
- Kit Components: OnSite® LFD Devices, Single-Use Droppers, Breakaway Swabs, Pre-Measured OnSite® LFD Extraction Buffer, Instructions for Use
- Sensitive to coconut protein at levels above 50 mg/kg (ppm)
Shipping and ordering information
Kits require expedited shipping. You will be emailed after purchase if we require additional information and/or shipping fee adjustments.
Kits should be refrigerated upon arrival. Failure to do so may result in decreased shelf life and/or sensitivity.
Orders only ship Monday- Wednesday.
Want a quote? Have questions? Contact us prior to ordering.
All sales are final. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.
Hygiena® AlerTox Sticks
AlerTox® Sticks kits are specially designed to help manufacturers and commercial kitchens keep their items free of unintended food allergens. The kits are user-friendly: no lab equipment, refrigeration or scientific knowledge required.- Quick: A reliable answer in less than 12 minutes
- Easy: No additional equipment required
- Reliable: Shelf-stable and robust
- Cost efficient: competitive pricing and volume discounts available
- AlerTox ELISA kits available for 20+ allergens
- Validation data available on request
AlerTox Sticks are available for the following common food allergens:
- Almond
- Crustacean
- Egg
- Fish
- Hazelnut
- Milk
- Mustard
- Peanut
- Sesame
- Soy
- Walnut
The AlerTox line of test kits includes 20+ ELISAs for allergens, including peanut, coconut, lysozyme, and more. Contact us for details.
Will I need any special equipment to run AlerTox Sticks tests?
No, however a digital scale can be helpful for testing products.
How long does it take to run an AlerTox Sticks test?
Test results are available in less than 12 minutes.
What are AlerTox’s limits of detection?
Each AlerTox Sticks test kit has a slightly different LOD, but most can detect a minimum amount of allergen ranging from 1-10 ppm.
Can I see validation data for AlerTox Sticks?
Yes, please contact us if you are interested in receiving the validation reports.
What is the hook effect?
The kits are designed to detect traces of allergen, and therefore samples that are very high in allergenic proteins (eg more than 5,000-10,000 ppm) may incur a false negative in the form of a hook effect. Matrices that contain a very high amount of the allergen can override the test. If you suspect this to be the case, an option is to dilute the sample (1 part sample to 3 parts water, for example) and re-test. You can always contact us with questions.
Can I use AlerTox to test rinse water?
Yes, rinse water can be tested following the general instructions for testing liquids.
Can I use AlerTox to test surfaces?
Yes, the directions for testing surfaces are included in the manuals.
After the test was completed, the test strip showed a negative result (only the blue control line appeared). But when I checked the test strip the next day, I noticed a faint positive line. What’s going on?
The test results should be read at the time indicated in the manual for each allergen test (not before and not after). Any faint lines that appear after this time limit are not valid and do not indicate the presence of allergen in the sample. Conversely, positive results may fade in intensity after the time limit.
I got a test result that surprises me. What do I do?
If your results are unexpected, please email us with more information about your test. We’ll work with you until your questions are resolved.
I’m looking for information about best practices for allergen testing in my facility.
There aren’t any easy one-size-fits-all solutions to effectively control hazard points in the manufacturing process. Minimizing hazard points and identifying best practices takes experience and expertise.
While Emport LLC does not design site-specific plans, we’re happy to talk about general best practices. Simply book time for a conversation.
If you prefer to read: The FDA provides guidance documents that cover basic questions about compliance to FDA legislation.
You can also reference Emport’s article Best Practices for Gluten-Free Manufacturers, which provides a fuller explanation of some of the key concepts in creating a hazard plan.
Can AlerTox Sticks kits detect allergens in fermented or hydrolyzed food?
Lateral flow kits like AlerTox Sticks can have trouble with foods that have been fermented, hydrolyzed, malted, cured or otherwise very highly processed to the point where their proteins start to break down. In these matrices, the allergen may go under-detected presenting false negative results.
This is because the antibody in a lateral flow test kit is looking for a very small sequence of amino acids. As food processing breaks the proteins apart, it is possible for the proteins to be too small to get “caught” by the test but still big enough to trigger an allergic reaction.
Can AlerTox Sticks detect allergens in oil?
It is very difficult to detect allergens in oil or other high-fat items. It is also difficult to identify the presence of oil made from allergenic foods.
Additional troubleshooting per allergen:
Please contact us with information about the matrices you are testing. We’ll be able to help determine whether or not the kit will fit your needs.
The AlerTox Sticks Crustacean test is applicable for qualitative detection of target antigens in the samples of complex foods and surface swabs. The sensitivity of the test may decrease in case of heat-processed food or fat-rich samples (e.g. in presence of oil or cream). Some fish processing technologies, eg preparation of surimi, selectively deplete the antigen (tropomyosin), sometimes resulting in weak positive or even false negatives.
The AlerTox Sticks Egg kit recognizes Ovalbumin, which is a glycoprotein that comprises 54% of the total proteins of egg white. AlerTox Sticks Egg will not detect the allergen presence in samples that have been exposed to high heat for an extended period. (higher than 212°F for more than 30 minutes.)
It is impossible to manufacture a single kit that can recognize all species of fish, or all manufacturing conditions (boiled, in oil, in vinegar, dried etc). Although AlerTox Sticks Fish can recognize between 30-50 types of bony fish, some show a reduced response in certain manufacturing processes. Canned tuna and surimi, or crab stick, are particularly difficult to detect.
AlerTox Sticks Mustard tests can detect mustard content of 1ppm, measured as ground raw unprocessed mustard seed. The test kit will detect the presence of all related plants, but will not detect the presence of mustard greens.
AlerTox Sticks Almond, Hazelnut, Walnut and Peanut
The sensitivity of all of the nut detection tests decrease in an environment rich in fats (for example, in the presence of oil or creams).
- AlerTox Sticks Almond shows a considerable cross-reactivity in pit extracts of the fruits of Prunus and related genuses: peach, plum and apricot. If these pits are crushed during industrial processing of fruit masses (for example, in the production of jam), the resulting material may show false positivity with AlerTox Sticks Almond.
- AlerTox Sticks Hazelnut does not detect hydrolyzed, low molecular weight fragments of the target protein and therefore it could show a false negative result with fermented hazelnut milk. The sensitivity of the test decreases in an environment rich in fats (for example, in the presence of oil or creams).
- AlerTox Sticks Peanut is not recommended for use with samples containing Brazil nut, buckwheat, or walnut. These ingredients can trigger a false positive. Additionally, samples containing more than 2% of the following ingredients require the use of skim milk powder and additional waiting time to ensure against false positives: cocoa, barley, rye, oat, lima bean, pumpkin seed, sesame, almond, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia, pistachio, pecan, pine nut, paprika, and lemon juice
AlerTox Sticks Sesame The sensitivity of the AlerTox Sticks Sesame test decreases in an environment rich in fats (for example, in the presence of oil or creams). The kit should not be used to detect sesame oil.
AlerTox Sticks Soy senses the presence of trypsin inhibitor from soybeans (STI) with a sensitivity of 100 ng / g (0.1 ppm). This inhibitor is denatured only in presence of high temperatures. There is no process to remove 100% of STI, although UHT processes significantly reduce the amounts of STI, making it undetectable to the kit. The kit should not be used to detect soy lecithin or soy oil.
Gold Standard Diagnostics SENSIStrip Allergen LFD
The SENSIStrip Allergen lateral flow devices are designed for quick detection of more than twenty different food allergens.
- Materials provided to conduct 20 tests.
- Test on products, surfaces and rinse water.
- Easy-to-use
- Semi-Quantitative results
- Time to Results: 20 minutes
- Storage: Refrigerate 2-8 °C (36-46 °F)
- Available for 20+ Allergens
Easy to use and quick method The SENSIStrip lateral flow devices are sensitive tools with very low limits of detection. The tests are performed in a fast and easy way, without the need for a highly qualified end user. The kits are provided with all the necessary and ready-to-use material to perform 20 individual analyses per kit, on food matrices or environmental samples.
Limited Quantification is available with the separate purchase of the RapidScan LFD Reader.
- Twenty – 200 μL and 1,000 μL Pipette (or can be replaced by droppers provided)
- Accurate weighing scale
- Grinder or homogenizer
- Timer
- Vortex mixer (if available)
- Clean water.
Emport LLC is happy to provide a quote for any and all lab equipment recommended for use with The SENSIStrip Allergen LFDs. We can work with you to build your quality control lab from the ground up, or supplement your existing lab facilities to enable you to begin using the test kit as part of your Allergen protocol.
Shipping and ordering information
Kits require expedited shipping. You will be emailed after purchase if we require additional information and/or shipping fee adjustments.
Kits should be refrigerated upon arrival. Failure to do so may result in decreased shelf life and/or sensitivity.
Orders only ship Monday- Wednesday.
Want a quote? Have questions? Contact us prior to ordering.
All sales are final. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.
Bio-Check (UK) Allergen FlowThrough™
Bio-Check (UK) Allergen FlowThrough™ LFD Swab tests allow for real-time decision-making when verifying cleaning during an allergen changeover. They are suitable for both surface swabbing and CIP rinse water testing. The Swab Device makes collecting samples easy and the 3-line lateral flow device (LFD) ensure reliable results.
Easily assess the effectiveness of cleaning as part of a factory-based, allergen management system. The tests are simple and quick enough to be performed by non-technical staff on ‘visibly clean’ surfaces when verifying cleaning in real time. The qualitative results obtained are reliable evidence for effective decision making. This line of onsite FlowThrough LFD Swab tests features:
- Results in <20 minutes
- Test for surfaces or rinse water
- Equipment: Coordinating swabs required
- Store: 15°C – 25°C (59°F – 77°F)
- Validation reports available on request
What is the Limit of Detection?
Allergen FlowThrough™ LFD Swab tests utilize purified antibodies to detect allergen residues remaining on a surface or in rinse waters. The Limits of Detection (LOD) of the tests are at low microgram levels of protein/100cm² or /mL but vary depending on the specific allergen test. Contact us for validation reports for each allergen.
Multiple allergens can be detected from a single extract in minutes.
Each test cassette detects one allergen — but one swab can be extracted and used for multiple FlowThrough™ LFD cassettes. This allows the detection of multiple allergens in the same swab sample, at the same time.
FlowThrough™ LFD Swabs are required, and are sold separately. Everything else need for the test is included in the kit.
Storage: Gluten FlowThrough™ is shelf stable.
Order minimum is ten tests. Tests are packed 5 per pouch; orders can be split between allergens.
Delivery. Orders may take 5-10 business days.
Want a quote? Have questions? Contact us prior to ordering.
All sales are final. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.
Looking for Quantitative Allergen Testing?
Lab testing and on site PCR testing is available. Contact us for details and quotes.
Are you producing products with gluten?
Emport LLC offers several rapid test kits that can help identify gluten cross-contact in incoming ingredients and finished goods, as well as in rinse water and on surfaces.
