Providing what is described as an unrivalled alternative to traditional methods, the assay is a robust, automated, label-free inhibition method, reducing the risk of experimental errors
Biacore International has launched a new rapid kit for the quantitative determination of vitamin B2, developed in collaboration with the Nestle Research Centre, Switzerland.
Qflex Kit vitamin B2 provides a rapid and reliable assay for routine measurement of vitamin B2 levels in a wide range of food types. Sample preparation and analysis time is very short, significantly increasing sample throughput capability of analytical laboratories when compared to other current testing methods.
Food producers who use vitamin fortification to enhance the value of their products are under constant pressure from regulatory bodies and consumer organizations to substantiate the vitamin levels declared on their labels.
Vitamin analysis can often be the rate-limiting step in final output from large processing facilities using current methods, such as microbiological assays (MBA) and HPLC.
The combination of Biacore Q system and Qflex Kit vitamin B2 facilitates routine analysis of vitamin B2 in many food types.
Providing what is described as an unrivalled alternative to traditional methods, the assay is a robust, automated, label-free inhibition method, reducing the risk of experimental errors.
Sample preparation is minimal.
Qflex kits also provide the flexibility required for further method development if required.
Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is a water-soluble vitamin involved in the regulation and proper functioning of the body's metabolic systems.
Deficiency of vitamin B2 can manifest as problems with the skin, eyes and nervous system.
It is routinely added to a wide range of food types including infant formula, nutritional products, breakfast cereals, sports drinks and pet foods.
Any analytical kit should be flexible enough to reflect this broad range of applications. "Biacore Q system for concentration analysis, together with our leading sensor chip technology and Qflex kits, provides fast and simple analytical methodology which meets all industry requirements for reliability, accuracy and precision," said Esa Stenberg, vice president and head of food business unit at Biacore.
"The kit also provides enough flexibility to adapt to the variety of specific matrices and requirements encountered at different facilities".
Qflex Kit vitamin B2 contains an unmodified sensor chip and all critical reagents required to perform the inhibition assay, including a reference standard.
The new vitamin B2 kit is an important addition to the constantly expanding portfolio of kits for the determination of water-soluble vitamins, which includes biotin, folic acid and vitamin B12.
An application note detailing the successful validation of Qflex Kit Vitamin B2 at separate laboratories at Xenosense and Nestle is available on request.
