Smartcard: an integrated approach for contaminant monitoring, from field to laboratory.

Abstract

Effective food safety monitoring requires a multi-step approach from farm to fork, involving different methods, ranging from convenient screening devices to sophisticated laboratory confirmatory testing. However, sample transportation to routine laboratories is time-consuming and expensive. Simplified on-site sampling followed by laboratory analysis offers a potential solution. Dried blood spot (DBS) cards ensure stability and ease of sample transportation and are used in clinical testing. However, the applicability of such an approach could be broader and include the storage of dried extract from more complex (solid) matrices. Therefore, a simplified approach is presented here, using DBS cards for on-site sampling and subsequent laboratory confirmation for food contaminants. To achieve this, an analytical tool (Smartcard) was designed using 3D-printing technology. As a proof of concept, the approach was applied to detect the pesticide fipronil, which is widely used in ornamental flower production to limit pests and on poultry farms. The Smartcard can securely store the sample extracts on a DBS card (dried extract spot (DExS) card), incorporate the lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) and immediately provide an estimate of contamination levels. After simplified in-syringe extraction of the sample, the LFIA allows direct screening of fipronil (half maximum inhibitory concentration of 6.5µg/l with calibration standards), and the same sample extract can be directly applied to the DExS card for storage and transport to the laboratory, where analyte re-extraction and instrumental analysis is performed using ultra high-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) detecting fipronil down to 0.8µg/kg.