Food & beverage quality control and safety testing using plate-based analysis
To ensure quality, authenticity, and safety manufacturers of foods and beverages need to perform a wide range of tests on their products. Many of these tests are based around ELISA, which are used to detect the presence of bacterial endotoxins, mycotoxins, various allergens, growth promoter hormones and antibiotics, as well as for meat species identification. Other absorbance tests can also be used to quantify levels of substances within foods – such as sugars, phenols, and acids.
The illustration above shows a workflow for a typical sandwich ELISA assay. While an ELISA is easy to set up, the assay procedure is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Automation for plate-based assay workflows can help with providing walkaway time, increasing throughput, effectiveness and efficiency of the assay procedure, and reproducibility.
Learn more about our research methods
Microplate readers are widely used in research, drug discovery, bioassay validation, quality control, and manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical, biotech, food and beverage, and academic industries. They provide rapid and sensitive measurements of a variety of analytes across a wide range of concentrations for a wide range of assays including ELISAs, microbial growth, detection of key compounds and contaminants, and protein quantitation.
Here, we highlight various applications using our SpectraMax® microplate readers and SoftMax® Pro software to illustrate how we help save you time and effort while easily generating the data you need for a wide range of food and beverage tests.
Resources for Quality Control and Safety Testing
eBook
The Ultimate Guide to Microplate Reader Solutions
The Ultimate Guide to Microplate Reader Solutions
Evaluating microplate readers doesn’t have to be overwhelming. First, consider your application needs. If your budget is modest, a single-mode reader dedicated to your main application may b…
Application Note
Monitor for endotoxin with the SpectraMax ABS Plus Microplate Reader
Monitor for endotoxin with the SpectraMax ABS Plus Microplate Reader
Monitoring for contaminants is a critical step during the production process in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
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Application Note
Determine total aflatoxin in cannabis using an ELISA method
Determine total aflatoxin in cannabis using an ELISA method
As cannabis is legalized in more states across the US, state agencies are setting their own regulations and requirements for growers, retailers, and testing laboratories. For example, in…
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eBook
Streamline beer, wine, and food quality control and safety analyses
Streamline beer, wine, and food quality control and safety analyses
Absorbance microplate readers are widely used in research, drug discovery, bioassay validation, quality control, and manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical, biotech, food and beverage…
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Application Note
Quantifying gluten in beer using an ASBC-approved ELISA method
Quantifying gluten in beer using an ASBC-approved ELISA method
With the recent rise in the prevalence of celiac disease, monitoring gluten levels in food and beverage has become increasingly important as more people strive to avoid gluten.
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Application Note
High-throughput melamine detection with Romer Labs AgraQuant Melamine Assays
High-throughput melamine detection with Romer Labs AgraQuant Melamine Assays
The organic base melamine is used to make a number of products, including plastics, flame retardants, pigments, and fertilizers. The practice of adding melamine to animal feed and foods for…
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Application Note
Phenolic compounds measurement in red wines
Phenolic compounds measurement in red wines
Measurement of tannin, iron-reactive phenolics, anthocyanin and polymeric pigment in red wine is an important part of quality control in the wine industry. Precise and reliable measurement…
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Application Note
High-throughput melamine detection with Beacon Analytical Systems Melamine Plate Kit
High-throughput melamine detection with Beacon Analytical Systems Melamine Plate Kit
The organic base melamine is used to make a number of products, including plastics, flame retardants, pigments, and fertilizers. The practice of adding melamine to animal feed and foods for…
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Application Note
Residual sugar measurement in wine using the SpectraMax Plus 384 Microplate Reader
Residual sugar measurement in wine using the SpectraMax Plus 384 Microplate Reader
Analysis of malic acid, residual sugar, volatile acidity and ammonia is very important in quality control during wine production. Enzymatic assays carried out in microplate format are…
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Application Note
L-malic acid measurement in wines using the SpectraMax Plus 384 Microplate Reader
L-malic acid measurement in wines using the SpectraMax Plus 384 Microplate Reader
Analysis of malic acid, residual sugar, volatile acidity and ammonia is very important for quality control during wine production. Enzymatic assays carried out in microplate format are…
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Application Note
Beer analysis using the QuickDrop UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
Beer analysis using the QuickDrop UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
Beer is one of the world’s most popular beverages, and it can be dated back as early as 6000 BCE from Sumerian artifacts1. The brewing process mainly involves water, a sugar source,…
Videos & Webinars
Microplate analysis technologies for food and beverage quality testing
