Allergy sufferers to benefit from mobile phone testing device

Finding out if the food you're eating contains anything you're allergic to could soon be as easy as turning on your mobile phone.

A team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has developed a lightweight device called the iTube, which attaches to a common mobile phone to detect allergens in food samples - as accurately as if done in a lab.

The iTube uses the phone's built-in camera and an accompanying application that runs an allergen test.

Food intolerances affect about one in 20 local schoolchildren - with shrimp being the main culprit - according to a study by Chinese University last year. Other studies show as many as 8 per cent of young children and 2 per cent of adults have some reaction to foods, which could cause severe and even life-threatening reactions.

While laws regulate the labelling of ingredients in pre-packaged foods, cross-contaminations can still occur during processing, manufacturing and transport.

Devices to detect allergens in food are typically complex and bulky, making them ill-suited for use in public settings. The iTube weighs less than 60 grams.