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Gwent Sensors Ltd has formed a joint venture with Jenway Ltd. to sell Sensors and the Associated Instruments. The role of the each partner is synergistic. Gwent Sensors Ltd develops and manufactures the sensors whilst Jenway Ltd. develops and manufactures the instruments. The products are marketed through Jenway Ltd and its worldwide distribution network. It is the intention of the joint venture to produce systems using innovative variations of existing patented processes.
The industries that we have targeted are the environmental, agriculture and industrial food market sectors. The first product identified measures the glucose content of potatoes. It is already undergoing field trials with a number of well known food companies. Production quantities of the machines and sensors are being produced ready for the second half of the year 2000.
After harvest, potato tubers need to be stored, under closely monitored conditions, to ensure that they last until the following harvest season. The sugar content of the tuber acts as an important indicator of quality of the storage conditions employed.
Potato tubers are winter storage organs, containing polysaccharide in the form of starch. At low temperatures the starch is converted to sugars to act as an ‘antifreeze’ to prevent cell disruption. Humidity and light influence the onset of germination. This is indicated by an increase in sugar content, as energy is required by the tuber.
Sugar content is of great importance to a potato processor, as it determines the end colour of any potato product. A natural reaction occurs in the tuber, between glucose and amino acids, when exposed to air. This reaction causes a browning of the ‘flesh’. High temperatures, such as those generated during cooking, speed up this reaction. Also, "eyes", appearing as black spots in fried potato products, occur due to localised concentrations of sugars at germination growing points. Customer demand dictates that processors require tubers with a low glucose content to prevent potato products becoming too dark in appearance and the products contain no "eyes".
Professor Nabil El Murr at the University of Nantes developed the original technology. The machine was designed for laboratory use by skilled technicians. Our task as industrialists has been to de- skill the technique.
The Original MC2 will currently measure glucose and sucrose via amperometric detection of an enzyme reaction. The MC2 has been used for an extended periods of time both in France and the UK for the monitoring of sugar content of tubers.
The Answer 8000
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Our new system is based around a flow analysis system. The flow cell is of
a new and innovative design with a three-electrode system. The biosensor (working
electrode) is made up of an insulating cartridge filled with a formulated graphite
material, which includes Horse Radish Peroxidase HRP, Glucose Oxidase GOD and
a Ferrocene redox mediator.
The measurement is based around a chronoamperometric technique, using a working potential of –100millivolts versus a pseudo-reference Pt electrode. The calibration procedure has been completely automated, and each cartridge will carry out fifty measurements before a replacement is needed. Dilution and filtration systems have been integrated into the Answer 8000 allowing direct measurement of glucose in industrial situations without previous dilution or Pipetting procedures.
This design concept has completely de-skilled the operators input into the measurement. The on board dilutor will allow the Answer 8000 to measure a large dynamic range of concentrations. This allows the system to be used in a number of different industrial applications.
The measurement of Sucrose is expected to be available using this generic technique by the end of 2000.
Other analytes to follow on.
