Rapid Gluten Allergen Detection Using an Integrated\nPhotoimaging Assay and Ionic Liquid Extraction Sensor

In recent years,\nfood allergies and food sensitivities have remained\ncritical public health problems that affect approximately 15% of the\nglobal population. Wheat is a major food source worldwide, but it\nis also a common food allergen. Celiac disease is chronic immune-mediated\nenteropathy triggered by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically\npredisposed individuals; it can be treated only through strict gluten\navoidance. Therefore, rapid gluten detection is crucial for protecting\nthe health of patients. Gluten contains two primary water-insoluble\nproteins: gliadin and glutenin. Gliadin is a key contributor to celiac\ndisease and poses challenges for sample pretreatment owing to its\ninsolubility, thereby reducing the accuracy and sensitivity of detection\nsystems. Rapid sample processing is a critical problem in gliadin\ndetection. In this report, we developed a gliadin sensor system called\nthe integrated food allergy and microorganism sensor (iFAMs). The\niFAMs comprises a gliadin lateral flow chip, a one-pot extraction\nsolution, and an image assay app. The iFAMs enables gliadin extraction\nand detection in under 2 min with high sensitivity (0.04 mg/kg for\ngliadin, lower than the regulatory limit of 20 mg/kg). Users can easily\nmeasure gluten concentrations in samples and quantify gliadin levels\nusing the smartphone-based image assay app. In samples collected from\nrestaurants, the iFAMs successfully detected hidden gluten within\n“gluten-free” food items. The compact size and user-friendly\ndesign of the iFAMs render it suitable for not only consumers but\nalso clinicians, food industries, and regulators to enhance food safety.