Graphene Sensors for Food Allergen Detection

Exceptional electronic properties, surface sensitivity and selectivity, makes graphene sensors ideal for food safety applications. Novel, generic, real-time monitoring sensor technology, based on chemically modified graphene channels, will be demonstrated for the detection of milk allergens in food products. Trace quantities of milk allergens can be present in food processing plants at very low concentrations and can trigger an adverse reaction in allergic individuals. Where there is a possibility of cross-contamination, food producers are obliged to label products or recall incorrectly labelled products – costing industry millions and producing negative publicity. Our real-time sensor system, developed for in-situ monitoring of food & food processing units, would enable instant and low-cost monitoring. Using chemically modified graphene, integrated into a packaged allergen sensor, for in-situ monitoring would offer end-user Unilever a real breakthrough in monitoring for trace nut contaminants.