Commercially available systems
Applications of biosensors: from food control to search for life on Mars

Despite a large number of publications on biosensors applied to food analysis, only a small number of systems are commercially available. The disadvantages that need to be overcome are the limited lifetime of biological compounds, large-scale production and ease of use.

• Few biosensors are currently used in the dairy industry for on-line analysis, although in principle they can be combined with continuous flow analysis for the control of raw materials, product quality and possibly manufacturing processes. Commercial biosensors are available in a variety of forms, including self-analyzers, hand-held laboratory instruments and portable systems. They are based on similar technology, either an oxygen electrode or a hydrogen peroxide electrode in connection with an immobilized oxidase, such as the ESAT Glucose Analyser (Eppendorf), Amperometric Biosensor Detector (Universal...