FSTest Zearalenone Rapid Test Kit (10 Tests)

Product Overview

The FSTest Zearalenone Rapid Test Kit (Lateral Flow) is a professional-grade, rapid screening tool engineered for the qualitative detection of zearalenone contamination in grains. Zearalenone (ZEN) is a potent estrogenic mycotoxin produced by various field fungi, presenting significant reproductive health risks to livestock and humans, and subject to strict enforced safety limits in global grain storage, feed milling, and agricultural trade. Maintaining reliable, on-site toxin screening is vital for grain millers, storage operators, and export compliance auditors striving to conform with strict international food safety standards and Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs).

By eliminating the immediate necessity for complex and costly laboratory infrastructure (such as HPLC or LC-MS), this field-ready assay compresses hazardous mycotoxin extraction into a simplified, room-temperature workflow. It serves as an indispensable first-line defense in grain collection hubs, factory intake inspection points, and corporate food safety compliance screening programs.

Product Highlights & Key Benefits

· High-Speed Field Screening: Complete the entire assay workflow and read stable, highly reliable visual results within just 8 to 10 minutes post-sample-preparation.

· Industry-Standard Sensitivity Limit: Calibrated to yield dependable qualitative screening at a strict Limit of Detection (LOD) of 60 µg/kg (60 ppb) across major agricultural grains.

· Comprehensive Grain Matrix Adaptability: Officially validated and optimized for cross-commodity verification, covering corn, wheat, and other targeted agricultural grains.

· Definite Visual Interpretation: Utilizes a competitive lateral flow immunochromatographic assay format where the color development of the Test (T) line is inversely related to the toxin presence. If zearalenone meets or exceeds the designated analytical threshold, the intensity of the T line will be inhibited, removing analytical ambiguity.

· Fully Self-Contained Consumable Architecture: Arrives fully packed with essential screening consumables—including 10 test cassettes, 10 microwells, an extra-large bottle of dedicated extracting solution (100 mL), 1 bottle of diluent solution (20 mL), 10 centrifuge tubes (10 mL), and 10 centrifuge tubes (2 mL).

· Extended Institutional Shelf Life: Unopened test kits can be safely kept tightly sealed in a cool, dry location between 4–30°C for a full guaranteed shelf-life of up to 18 months, offering superior supply chain and stock flexibility. Do not freeze.

Technical Principle: Lateral Flow Immunochromatography

The test strip is based on a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay mechanism. The test cassette houses an integrated observation testing window containing an invisible Test (T) line and a Control (C) line before fluidics activation.

Extracted Mycotoxin Contamination + Reagents -> Lateral Flow -> Competition with Pre-coated Recombinant Antigens -> Inhibited T-Line (Toxin Present Response)

When a treated agricultural sample solution is applied into the sample well of the device, the liquid migrates laterally across the surface of the test strip via capillary action and reacts with pre-coated recombinant antigens. The intensity of color on the T test line has an opposite correspondence with the zearalenone concentration in the sample. If the toxin residue is present, it alters the binding kinetics, causing the T line to fade visibly or disappear entirely. For a clean, negative sample, a strong, distinct red band forms at the T zone. The Control (C) line must always develop after a sample is applied to confirm the test fluidics are functional and valid.

Specifications & General Parameters

Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Simple Sample Extraction & Preparation

·  Milling: Take 100 g of grain representative sample and grind it thoroughly. Weigh exactly 1.0 g of the ground sample and add it into a provided 10 mL centrifuge tube.

·  Primary Extraction: Add exactly 5 mL of the provided extracting solution into the tube, re-cap the tube tightly, vortex for 2 minutes to mix thoroughly, and then separate layers by centrifuging at 4000 rpm for 3 minutes.

·  Matrix Dilution: Pipette exactly 50 µL of the clear supernatant layer into a provided 2 mL centrifuge tube, add exactly 1000 µL of diluent solution, and shake to mix thoroughly.

2. Running the Assay

· Prior to testing, ensure the test cassette is between 20 to 40°C.

· Take the test cassette out of its protective bag and place the device on a flat surface.

· Pipette exactly 100 µL of the prepared final mixed sample solution into a provided microwell, mix for 3 to 5 times using the pipette fluidics, and let it stand undisturbed for 3 minutes.

· Transfer all the mixed solution and apply 100 µL into the sample hole on the test cassette.

· Interpret the visual results between 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not read after 10 minutes, as late chemical shifts render the test invalid).

Results Determination & Action Guide

· Negative (-): Both the Control (C) line and Test (T) line develop color normally, with no significant inhibition of color development. This confirms that targeted zearalenone levels are safely below the regulatory threshold limit.

· Positive (+): The Control (C) line develops normally, but the Test (T) line is visibly lighter, faded, or fails to appear completely. This indicates that mycotoxin contamination meets or exceeds the designated cutoff limit.

· Invalid: The Control (C) line fails to show any visible color band, regardless of the appearance of the T line. This signals an operational error, an uncalibrated pipette, or a compromised strip. The sample must be re-tested using a brand new cassette.

Storage & Packing Specifications

· Kit Capacity:10 tests per box (Test cassettes x 10, Microwells x 10, Extracting solution (100 mL) x 1, Diluent solution (20 mL) x 1, 2 mL centrifuge tubes x 10, 10 mL centrifuge tubes x 10, User manual).

· Storage Environment:Store tightly sealed in a cool, dry location between 4–30°C. Do not freeze.

· Shelf Life:18 months under proper sealed storage parameters.