March 24, 2009
EnviroLogix launches new test kit for melamine in feed
Press Release
EnviroLogix Inc. has introduced the first five-minute, on-site immunoassay to detect melamine contamination in raw materials used in animal feed and pet food products.
QuickTox Kit for Melamine was developed with speed, simplicity and sensitivity in mind. It is designed to detect melamine contamination at 2.5 ppm, the threshold established by regulatory agencies worldwide for non-infant food products.
Intended for use at material-receiving points, the test enables accurate and visual screening of numerous sample types, including corn gluten meal, distillers grains (DDG), cottonseed meal, and soymeal. It may also be adapted to detect melamine in finished pet food and milk.
''''We developed this rapid test in response to industry need for a more effective way to triage raw materials being delivered to the feed plant--and before those materials enter the manufacturing process,'''' said Simon Varney, product manager for the EnviroLogix line of agricultural test kits. ''''This melamine test enables feed processors and others to ensure the quality of their ingredients and to provide buyers with confidence in finished products.''''
The test itself is a lateral flow strip, or ''''dipstick.'''' In principle, specific color-coded antibodies bind to melamine molecules in a sample. In a positive result, the antibody-melamine complex travels up the strip and inhibits colour development at the Test Line. In a negative sample, unbound antibodies migrate up the strip and are captured at the Test Line, resulting in colour development. All strips include an internal control to ensure the test was performed correctly.
The QuickTox Kit for Melamine, Catalog # AS 073 BG, includes 50 test strips and all the accessories needed.
EnviroLogix specialises in the development and manufacture of immunoassay test kits for every link in the worldwide food production chain, from seed to plant to grain handling and processing.