It does the job just as well as lab equipment that costs 100
times more, says the United States Department of Agriculture’s research station
at Albany, California.
The researchers say that it is critical to determine toxin
activity of Shiga toxin because although the active form poses a threat to
humans, the inactive form is nontoxic.
However, current immunological tests cannot distinguish
between the active and inactive form of Shiga toxin.
The WRRC system can distinguish between active and inactive
toxins, according to USDA chemist Reuven Rasooly, who developed the system.
It involves a $300 camera and a light-emitting source to
biologically determine active toxin.
A fluorometer, which typically is used to detect toxins,
costs about $35,000.
