SYMPHONY: Integrated SYsteM based on PHOtonic Microresonators and Microfluidic Components for rapid detectioN of toxins in milk and dairY products

Project at a glance

The SYMPHONY project develops heterogeneous technologies, encompassing photonics, biochemistry and microfluidics, integrated in a miniaturised smart system that will perform low cost label free detection of contaminants in milk and improve safety and quality of dairy products. The main goal is to produce an automated sampling and analysis system to be used in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). 

The application

Milk and dairy products can be contaminated by several contaminants, including aflatoxin M1, a potent carcinogen. The aflatoxin contamination represents a hazard for human health and an economic loss for the dairy industry. The solutions developed by the project aim to overcome the limitations of the available technology for aflatoxin detection, which fails to provide timely identification of the carcinogen and cost-effective management of contaminated milk.

Added value of the project

The main benefits of the project are:

• Timely detection of contaminants and increased capillarity of testing, improving consumer safety and providing higher quality of products;
• Automated milk testing procedures for reduced personnel work-load;
• Cost effective management of milk quality.