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July 22, 2005
New device lab-on-a-chip sensor to detect milk contamination
Dated: May 15, 2004
As I mentioned, I located this article to assist with our group project. I didn't realize that research had been conducted on the topic of milk contamination and vulnerability until I noticed the date of this article.
If what this article states is true, why isn't everyone using the new 'lab-on-a-chip' to provide safe milk to the public. The research notes the sensors are disposable, inexpensive, needs no power supply and uses no electronic parts. In addition the sensors can be "constructed to test for a particular toxin in as little as an hour with test results available in minutes." The research paper describing the research can be found in the journal Electrophoresis. The website link is http://www.wiley-vch.de/publish/en/journals/alphabeticIndex/2027/
and the journal describes itself as "one of the world's leading journals for new analytical and preparative methods and for innovative applications on all aspects of electrophoresis.
What do you think? Why isn't this device being used today? Wouldn't all suppliers want to use this mechanism? FYI, it can be used for food supplies, but the study mentioned in the article focused on the nation's milk supply in particular.
Comments
It's probably not widely used because corporate farms and the powers that be are afraid to spend even a little of their profits to ensure the safety of their product. If you think about it, our foods are loaded with disease causing chemicals, as well as hormones and antibiotics, because it's more cost efficient. And the government's too slow to enforce the food safety procedures that are already in place, let alone enact new ones.
Posted by: Patti at July 22, 2005 7:53 PM