Affordable “Dipstick” Test Protects You from Food Pesticides

Whether you’re an eco-conscious consumer or a concerned parent, you’re probably worried about pesticides in the food you eat. However, despite calls in 2002 for greater pesticide regulation to protect people and the environment, Canada still doesn’t have a national strategy to reduce or eliminate pesticides.

In the absence of government regulations it comes down to consumer power. One option is to test the food you buy. A new product on the market is a fast, inexpensive dipstick test that will warn you of even small amounts of pesticides in food and beverages. In a study published in Analytical Chemistry, Canadian scientists report that they developed the paper-strip test as a more practical and conventional option to test for pesticides.

It’s called a reagentless bioactive paper-based solid-phase biosensor, and it can detect acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, including organophosphate pesticides. The researchers tested the strip in laboratory studies using food and beverage samples that were intentionally contaminated with common pesticides.

Within just a few minutes the test strip changed color shades based on the amount of pesticide present in the food. However, the test strip cannot identify the type of pesticide present.

According to the study authors, conventional detection of pesticides tend to be expensive, time-consuming and require complex equipment. The new dipstick test offers a much-needed solution for both consumers and food industry professionals. It could also be useful in some developing countries or remote locations where access to expensive testing equipment and electricity is limited.

Reference:
Reagentless Bidirectional Lateral Flow Bioactive Paper Sensors for Detection of Pesticides in Beverage and Food Samples. Analytical Chemistry, Sept. 2009, 81 (21), pp 9055–9064.
S. M. Zakir Hossain, Roger E. Luckham, Meghan J. McFadden, John D. Brennan

Source: Core Content Media
Type: Original article