How to use a Rapid Allergen Test Kit PRO

Our range of Rapid Allergen Test Kits PRO will support your site in the detection of: Egg (Ovalbumin), Total Milk, Gluten, Soya, Shellfish, Peanut, Crustacean, Walnut, and Buckwheat.

Using highly specific antibodies, these Lateral Flow Tests detect target allergens in food products, offering accurate results even when testing highly processed items. The kits within this range can also be used to test environmental surfaces (swab test) and rinse water samples.

In this Help Guide, you will find the details of what’s inside A PRO allergen test kit, both the recommended and simplified methods for testing samples, plus a quick run down of how to read and understand your test results.

What’s inside a Klipspringer Allergen Rapid Test Kit PRO?

Recommended and Simplified Extraction Methods โ€“ Food Samples

Recommended and Simplified Extraction Methods โ€“ Swab Test Samples

Recommended and Simplified Extraction Methods โ€“ Rinse Water Samples

Preparing the Test Solution

Carrying out a Klipspringer Allergen Rapid Test Kit PRO

Understanding your results, plus a note on Total Milk testing

Klipspringer Allergen Rapid Test Kit PRO

Kit Components

  • Polypropylene tube (50 mL volume)
  • Polypropylene tube (1.5 mL volume)
  • 10 packs of cotton swabs
  • 1 paper tube rack
  • 10 packs of Extraction Solution
  • 1 bottle of Diluent (12 mL)
  • 10 Test Stick packs (1 stick per pack)
  • 10 Pipettes (mL) and 10 Pipettes (ฮผL)

Additional Materials (not provided)

  • Homogeizer/blender
  • Scale capable of weighing 1.0ยฑ0.1 g
  • Vortex mixer
  • Water bath/heating block *
  • Centrifuge (for 3000 x g) *
  • Filter paper *
  • pH test strip
  • Heat-resistant gloves

* These items may not be required depending on the extraction method or sample condition.ย ย 

Recommended Extraction Method –
Food Samples

This extraction method is the recommended method for food samples. It is also the optimal choice for highly processed food such as baked goods (bread confectionery), processed meat and seafood, retort foods, and stewing foods.

PRECAUTION: Before use, bring all reagents to 20-30ยฐC (68-86ยฐF) and gently vortex the contents into a homogenous solution. You will also need to confirm and adjust (if required) the pH of the
Sample Extract to ensure it is as close to neutral pH as possible. Finally, you will need to wear protective clothing that is suitable for this application (e.g. goggles and gloves).

1. Grind and mix the test food sample to homogeneity with a contamination-free homogenizer/blender.ย Put 1.0 g (1.0 mL) of the homogenized sample in a Polypropylene tube and add 1 pack of Extraction Solution.

2. Close the tube tightly and vortex it for 30 seconds.

3. Place the closed tube in a water bath/heating block at > 90ยฐC (194หšF) for 10 minutes.

4. Place the tube in water to cool down to ambient temperature, but do not cool below this point as the sample will precipitate at low temperatures.

5. Close the tube tightly and vortex for 30 seconds. Place the tube in a stand for a few minutes to let the sample settle down. The resulting solution is known as the Sample Extract. Centrifuge and/or filter with filter paper as required.

Simplified Extraction Method –
Food Samples

This extraction method is suited to food products that aren’t highly processed. Examples include beverages, dairy products, grain powder, and other non heat-treated products. It can also be used for environmental surfaces and rinse water samples.

1. Grind and mix the test food sample to homogeneity with a contamination-free homogenizer/blender. Put 1.0 g (1.0 mL) of the homogenized sample in a Polypropylene tube and add 1 pack of Extraction Solution.

2. Close the tube tightly and vortex it for 30 seconds. The resulting solution is known as the Sample Extract. Centrifuge and/or filter with filter paper as required.

Recommended Extraction Method –
Swab Test Samples

PRECAUTION: Before use, bring all reagents to 20-30ยฐC (68-86ยฐF) and gently vortex the contents into a homogenous solution. You will also need to confirm and adjust (if required) the pH of the
Sample Extract to ensure it is as close to neutral pH as possible. Finally, you will need to wear protective clothing that is suitable for this application (e.g. goggles and gloves).

1. Zig-zag across the specified surface area of 10cm x 10cm with a cotton swab that has been moistened with purified water.

2. Place the swab into a Polypropylene tube, then add 4 mL of Extraction Solution.

3. Close the tube tightly and vortex it for 30 seconds.

4. Place the closed tube in a water bath/heating block at > 90ยฐC (194หšF) for 10 minutes.

5. Place the tube in water to cool down to ambient temperature, but do not cool below this point as the sample will precipitate at low temperatures. Vortex for 30 seconds.

6. Close the tube tightly and vortex for 30 seconds. Place the tube in a stand for a few minutes to let the sample settle down. The resulting solution is known as the Sample Extract. Filter with filter paper as required.

Simplified Extraction Method –
Swab Test Samples

1. Zig-zag across the specified surface area of 10cm x 10cm with a cotton swab that has been moistened with purified water.

2. Place the swab into a Polypropylene tube, then add 4 mL of Extraction Solution. Close the tube tightly and vortex it for 30 seconds. The resulting solution is known as theย Sample Extract. Filter with filter paper as required.

Recommendedย Extraction Method –
Rinse Water Samples

PRECAUTION: Before use, bring all reagents to 20-30ยฐC (68-86ยฐF) and gently vortex the contents into a homogenous solution. You will also need to confirm and adjust (if required) the pH of the
Sample Extract to ensure it is as close to neutral pH as possible. Finally, you will need to wear protective clothing that is suitable for this application (e.g. goggles and gloves).

1. Put 1.0 g (1.0 mL) of the homogenized sample in a Polypropylene tube and add one pack of Extraction Solution.

2. Close the tube tightly and vortex it for 30 seconds.

3. Place the closed tube in a water bath/heating block at > 90ยฐC (194หšF) for 10 minutes.

4. Place the tube in water to cool down to ambient temperature, but do not cool below this point as the sample will precipitate at low temperatures.

5. Close the tube tightly and vortex for 30 seconds. The resulting solution is your Sample Extract.

Simplified Extraction Method –
Rinse Water Samples

1. Put 1.0 g (1.0 mL) of the homogenized sample in a Polypropylene tube and add one pack of Extraction Solution.

2. Close the tube tightly and vortex for 30 seconds. The resulting solution is your Sample Extract.

Preparing the Test Solution

Before carrying out the test, you will need to ensure the Test Stick has adjusted to the temperature of 20โˆ’30หšC. If the temperature is too low, theย Test Stickย may not work correctly.

You will also need to open the package just before use, making sure not to touch the sample application slot or the test window.

1. Place aย Test Stickย horizontally and add 200 ฮผL ofย Test Solutionย to the sample application slot.

2. Incubate for 15 minutes at room temperature (20-30หšC/ 68-86หšF) on a flat surface.

3. Immediately interpret the results.

Carrying out the Test

Once you have prepared yourย Sample Extract, you will need to prepare the Test Solution. This can be done in two simple steps:

1. Dispense 900 ฮผL of Diluentย with a pipette into a polypropylene tube.

2. Add 100 ฮผL ofย Sample Extract with a pipette to the polypropylene tube containing 900 ฮผL ofย Diluent and mix well.ย The resulting solution is your Test Solution. For further dilution, dilute theย Sample Extract with theย Extraction Solution appropriately, then dilute it 10-fold with Diluent.

Understanding the Test Results

Theย Test Sticksย within your kit have three key areas, theย Sample application slot where you apply your sample, the Test Window where the result appears, and the Confirmation Windowย which shows if the test is valid.

Positive Results

A positive test result forย Eggย andย Shellfishย will appear as a black line in the Test Window and a red colour in the Confirmation Window.

A positive test forย Gluten,ย Buckwheat,ย Peanut,ย Crustacean,ย Walnut, and Soyaย will appear as a red line in the Test Window and a red colour in the Confirmation Window.

Negative Results

A negative test result for all PRO kits will appear as a clear Test Window and a red colour in the Confirmation Window.

Invalid Results

An invalid test result forย all PRO kits will appear as a clear Confirmation Window.

Understanding the Test Results – Total Milk

Positive Result for Total Milk

(A-1): Two lines, a black and a red line showing in theย Test Window, along with a red colour in the confirmation window.

Positive Result for Casein Only

(A-2): One black line showing in the Test Window and a red colour in the Confirmation Window. *

* The Casein that is commonly available on the market contains trace amounts of ฮฒ-lactoglobulin and whey contains trace amounts of Casein and ฮฒ-lactoglobulin, two lines may be observed even when you are testing foods that only contain casein or whey.

Positive Result for ฮฒ-lactoglobulin Only (main protein of whey)

(A-3): One red line showing in the Test Window and a red colour in the Confirmation Window.

To discover our full range of Rapid Allergen Test Kits PRO, simply click the button below. We also have a range of EASY Test Kits that are ideally suited to the quick yet accurate testing of surface swab and rinse water samples.

View our range of EASY Allergen Testing Kits
View our range of PRO Allergen Testing Kits

Alternatively, to learn more about our Allergen Testing range, you can also reach out to our support team on 01473 461800ย orย sales@klipspringer.com.

If you have any questions relating to our range of Allergen Testing Kits, the Klipspringer team would be happy to help. Share your details below.