Romer Labs has launched its new AgraQuant Allergen ELISA Test Kits that detect food allergens sensitively in a wide range of processed foods and raw materials.

Cross contamination during the production process often occurs so that residues of food allergens in different products may be present.

The user-friendly test kits include all ready-to-use reagents, and the kits' sensitivity can help ensure safe food and contribute to consumer protection.

A food allergy is typically an immune system response to a protein present in food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Common food allergens are gluten containing cereals, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, lupines, nuts, milk, mustard, sesame, celery, sulphur dioxide, sulphites and molluscs.

Food allergies affect 1-3 percent of the whole population and 5-8 percent of children. Even minor exposure to a food allergen in the nano-gram range can cause symptoms from mild skin rashes to a fatal anaphylactic shock.

Romer Labs is a niche provider of diagnostic solutions for the agricultural, food and feed industry.