A miniaturized solid-phase extraction cartridge for DNA-based detection of food allergens

Undeclared allergenic ingredients or trace allergen contamination during food processing pose a significant health risk to sensitized individuals. DNA targets provide a reliable alternative for highly sensitive detection of allergenic ingredients in food matrices due to their thermal stability, strong specificity and sensitivity, and PCR-enabled trace detection. Efficient DNA extraction and purification from complex samples is essential to maximize the benefits of DNA-based analysis. This study developed a miniaturized DNA extraction device using pore glass as solid phase for efficient binding and release of DNA, and chaotropic-salt-free protocol, optimized for qPCR-based sesame detection in seeds, bakery mixes, and food processing surfaces. This setup was benchmarked with a commercial kit with amplifiable DNA via qPCR despite lower yields (~1–4 ng/µL) and purity ratios (0.8–1.2). In bakery mixes, it allowed to discriminate sesame-positive samples from negatives. Surface swabbing of stainless-steel coupons confirmed the presence of sesame at 2.5 μg/cm 2 . This prototype offers a practical alternative to commercial kits for allergen screening, with automation potential.