French food safety diagnostics company bioMérieux and its newly acquired start-up Allergen Alert are making eating out safer for people with food allergies and those suffering from celiac disease. The company introduced the “Mini Lab” at CES 2026, a portable device that provides on-the-spot detection of food allergies.
The device claims to provide lab-grade results within two minutes. It uses a sample of the food collected with a scooper from a disposable collection kit. The sample is placed in a patented single-use pouch and then inserted into the device for analysis. The device uses a special technique to extract protein from the sample. It then analyzes the presence of allergens and displays the results on the screen or the companion phone app.
“The number of people with food allergies has increased by 50% over the last 15 years. It’s a growing public health issue,” explains Bénédicte Astier, CEO of the startup. “Allergen Alert offers an innovative preventive solution, reducing the risk of exposure and thereby improving the quality of life for persons with allergies or suffering from celiac disease.”
“We are very proud to support Allergen Alert. This innovation builds on technologies developed within our company and addresses a critical need for both allergic patients and professionals,” said Pierre Boulud, Chief Executive Officer of bioMérieux.
For now, Allergen Alert’s “Mini Lab” supports tests for gluten and milk. By 2028, it should be able to detect the nine most common food allergens. These include peanuts, wheat, tree nuts, soy, shellfish, milk, eggs, fish, and sesame.
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Images courtesy of Allergen Alert
