Detects toxins 100 times faster than before, holds promise for a future free of food poisoning
This month, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. and Nagoya University announced the development of technology that enables high-speed detection of toxic proteins that cause food poisoning. A novel sensor that detects the presence of toxic proteins was manufactured using a combination of artificial antibodies (DNA aptamers) which capture the toxic proteins, with a signal converter which converts those "capturing events" of captured toxins into optical signals.
The new sensor enables detection of toxic proteins 100 times faster than with previous methods. This new technology can be used for shipment inspections of various foods to enable faster and more accurate inspections, thus contributing to better food safety.
Fujitsu plans to continue developing methods to leverage the high protein-affinity and low cost accompanying these artificial-antibody (DNA aptamer) technologies, so that some of the conventional antibodies used in food and disease testing can be replaced with artificial antibodies. In May 2010, Fujitsu Laboratories and Fujitsu Asia Pte. Ltd. jointly established a new research laboratory in Singapore, which will conduct trials aimed at commercializing artificial antibodies.
