Gwent Sensors Ltd has been established to manufacture and sell a range of disposable sensors and associated products. These are for use in environmental, agriculture and food industrial market sectors. The company is supported two major companies and by a small group of experienced and qualified individuals; Guido Drago of our Associated Company Applied Enzyme Technology Ltd (AET Ltd.); Robin Pittson / Les Embury of , Gwent Electronic Materials Ltd (GEMLtd.) Nabil El Murr, CNRS Centre, University of Nantes. The first commercial instrument to be produced has been designed for the measurement of reducing sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose) in foodstuffs. The sensor instrument uses a double electrode system; a working electrode combined with a reference electrode. The working electrode comprises an enzyme based carbon paste which is able to identify the sugar to be tested. The reaction can be monitored electrochemically by applying a known fixed potential between the two electrodes, allowing the amperometric detection of the substrate.

The originality of the patented process lies in the fact that the enzymatic and detection parts are closely combined in one solid state electrode. The electrode has a renewable surface, overcoming the limitations of membrane immobilised systems. The sensor head is linked to a stepped motor which exuded a small amount of active paste for each measurement. This can be removed during a simple wiping process to give a new clean reactions surface for each test.

After simple sample preparation the sensor will provide an accurate result within 20 seconds.