Immunochromatographic methods in food analysis

• We review recent progress in research on immunochromatographic analyses.
• We discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of immunochromatographic systems.
• We discuss strategies to reduce the limits of detection and to increase accuracy.
• We describe approaches used for simultaneous analysis of multiple compounds.
• We describe commercially-available tests and proposed directions for future research.

In this review, we describe the current state of development of immunochromatographic tests to detect toxic contaminants (e.g., mycotoxins, pesticides, and veterinary drugs) in agricultural products and foodstuffs. We consider the place of these tests among other methods used for food quality/safety assurance, as well as the specific requirements for immunochromatographic analyses of compounds in different food matrices. We discuss strategies to decrease the limit of detection and to conduct multi-parametric and quantitative analyses. We highlight some successfully commercialized analytical techniques and priorities for further research.