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Milk Allergen Detection: Sensitive Label-Free Voltammetric Immunosensor Based on Electropolymerization

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Abstract

We present in this work, first time in literature, a voltammetric label-free biosensor for detection of alpha lactalbumin (α-LB) in meal samples. Food allergy concern necessitates strict regulations in food labelling and innovative monitoring strategies for prevention of sepsis-related death. As major food allergens, dietary samples often contain whey proteins, including α-LB as one of the key allergenic. Available detection methods for α-LB are based on successive labelling steps and hence have long assay times with limited sensitivity. The new detection method presented here is based on capturing of α-LB via entrapped α-LB antibody (α-LB-Ab) through electropolymerization of polypyrrole (PPy) and then measuring the conductivity decrease by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). This new label-free voltammetric biosensor for α-LB exhibits the best limit of detection (0.19 fg/mL) published so far in literature, with high selectivity and capability to quantify α-LB in real milk samples too.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would also like to thank Chêne Sophie Eglantine Tiffanie for preliminary experiments performed for this project.

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Food and Nutrition Center at EPFL for funding of this work through the project titled: “Multi-Panel Lab-on-a-Chip System based on Electrochemical Sensors for Allergens Testing on Real Milk Samples in-the-field”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Tugba Kilic, Paul Jean Philipp & Sandro Carrara

  2. Groupe Elsa Mifroma (MIGROS), Estavayer-le-Lac, Estavayer, Switzerland

    Paola Giavedoni

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  1. Tugba Kilic
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Correspondence to Sandro Carrara.

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Kilic, T., Philipp, P.J., Giavedoni, P. et al. Milk Allergen Detection: Sensitive Label-Free Voltammetric Immunosensor Based on Electropolymerization. BioNanoSci. 10, 512–522 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12668-020-00730-4

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