Independent Validation of ChemSee Food Poison Detection Technology
ChemSee / Appealing Products food-poison detection technology was developed through the U.S. Government’s Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) program within the Combating Terrorism Technology Support effort associated with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The technology was evaluated through the TSWG program and later subjected to a separate independent technical validation by the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University.
DoD Program Record
Official Department of Defense research-and-development records document development of a food-security test kit for personnel protection at high-threat overseas government facilities.
Independent Lab Validation
The TSWG Technology Brief states that performance of the Food Security Test Kit was validated by an independent laboratory under TSWG sponsorship.
60+ Independent Tests
A separate 2010 university study evaluated the detector platform through more than 60 tests involving six foods and nine representative poisons.
U.S. Department of Defense / TSWG Development Program
The Technical Support Working Group coordinated counterterrorism research and development across the U.S. Government. Its research-and-development program transitioned to the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO), established by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations / Low-Intensity Conflict.
ChemSee / Appealing Products developed its deployable Food Security Test Kit through this program to provide rapid screening for dangerous chemical poisons in food.
Food Security for High-Threat Government Facilities
Official Department of Defense RDT&E budget documentation records the design of a food security test kit for personnel protection at high-threat overseas government facilities.
The following year’s program documentation also called for operational evaluation of the food-security test kit for that personnel-protection mission.
Counterterrorism Technology Development
The TSWG program focused on rapidly developing technologies to meet priority operational counterterrorism requirements.
CTTSO documentation identifies TSWG as the first research-and-development program transitioned into CTTSO under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations / Low-Intensity Conflict.
TSWG Food Security Test Kit Evaluation
The Technical Support Working Group Technology Brief documents the development and evaluation of the deployable Food Security Test Kit that formed the basis of ChemSee’s current food-poison detection technology.
Hundreds of Food Conditions Evaluated
According to the TSWG Technology Brief, detector performance was optimized using hundreds of food and cooking methods to confirm reliable operation across a wide range of conditions.
The program was intended to rapidly identify poisons capable of creating an immediate danger to health and life while also providing presumptive information regarding the class of poison detected.
Tested with Civilian & DoD Users
The user instructions were tested and optimized through trials involving two distinct operator groups:
- Non-technical civilian users
- U.S. Department of Defense operators
The objective was to make the detector system practical for users without specialized laboratory training.
Under 2 Minutes
The TSWG report states that preparation of solid and paste samples required less than two minutes, while liquids required no sample-preparation time.
Typically 7–8 Minutes
The original TSWG program reported total analysis times of approximately 5–12 minutes, with 7–8 minutes described as typical.
Independent Laboratory
The TSWG Technology Brief states that performance of the Food Security Test Kit was validated by an independent laboratory under TSWG sponsorship.
North Carolina State University Independent Validation
In 2010, the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University conducted a separate independent validation study of the CA-61, HM-34 and AJ-05 poison detectors used in the KT-05 and KT-06 food-poison detection kits.
60+ Tests
More than sixty poison-detection tests were performed.
6 Foods
Foods representing substantially different physical and chemical properties were evaluated.
9 Poisons
Representative anionic poisons, toxic heavy metals and an arsenic compound were tested.
Three Detectors
CA-61, HM-34 and AJ-05 represented the three detector groups incorporated into the KT-06.
NC State Study Design
The study challenged the detector system using three different classes of food and representative poisons from each of the KT-06 detector groups.
Three Food Classes
| Food Class | Examples |
|---|---|
| Class A Solids that do not absorb water |
Beef stew Canned chicken breast |
| Class B Solids and pastes that absorb water |
Yogurt Apple sauce |
| Class C Liquids |
Cola Orange juice |
Representative Detector Targets
| Detector Group | Challenge Materials |
|---|---|
| Group I CA-61 |
Potassium cyanide Sodium azide Potassium chromate Sodium sulfide |
| Group II HM-34 |
Cadmium chloride Lead acetate Mercuric nitrate Thallium sulfate |
| Group III AJ-05 |
Sodium arsenite |
Study conditions: The NC State evaluation used intentionally adulterated food samples prepared according to the study protocol. The arsenic challenge was conducted at a lower relative challenge level than the other poison groups and still produced clear positive responses.
Key Findings from the NC State Evaluation
Anionic Poisons
Across the anionic-poison tests, the NC State report states that there were no false positive or false negative results and that the particular poison was readily identifiable.
The evaluated targets included cyanide, azide, sulfide and chromate.
Heavy Metals
The heavy-metal detector identified the intentionally added metals in all but one documented test condition.
Thallium and cadmium were generally straightforward to identify. Differentiating some mercury and lead color responses required more familiarity with the detector.
Arsenic Compounds
The arsenic detector produced clear positive responses in the arsenic-adulterated samples even though the arsenic challenge level was lower than that used for the other poison groups.
The report states that no false positive or false negative arsenic results were observed during these tests.
Usually 30–40 Seconds
NC State investigators reported that detector responses were generally obtained very quickly, usually within approximately 30–40 seconds after application of the prepared sample.
Individual reported reactions ranged from approximately 5 seconds to 480 seconds depending on the poison and food matrix.
Rapid & Straightforward Operation
The investigators described preparation and execution of the detector tests as easy to perform and reported that results were generally obtained rapidly.
Their overall assessment was that the detector system could identify dangerous poison levels while remaining practical for non-specialist operation.
Documented Matrix Effects & Study Limitations
The NC State study also documented circumstances in which food chemistry or visual differences affected detector performance. These findings provide important context for proper interpretation of a rapid screening test.
Mercury + Phosphate-Brined Chicken
One mercury challenge using canned chicken containing phosphate brine did not produce a positive HM-34 response.
The investigators attributed this result to probable formation of poorly soluble mercury phosphate. When the same mercury challenge was performed using fresh cooked chicken without the phosphate brine, mercury was readily detected.
Food Matrix Can Affect Appearance
Food color generally did not prevent poison detection, although cola produced a light-brown background and orange juice produced a pale-yellow background during control testing.
The report also noted that differentiating between some heavy-metal responses could require familiarity with the detector’s color patterns.
Why this matters: The KT-06 is a rapid screening system. Chemical interactions within a food matrix can alter the chemical form or availability of a target compound and may influence a colorimetric response. Results should always be interpreted according to the supplied procedures and within the intended use of the kit.
NC State Overall Evaluation
North Carolina State University’s overall assessment was that the API food-poison detectors readily detected dangerous poison levels, responded rapidly and were straightforward enough for use by a lay operator.
Validation Documents & Government References
The original validation documents and supporting U.S. Government program records are available below.
Food Security Test Kit Technology Brief
ChemSee-hosted copy of the original Technical Support Working Group document describing development, operator testing and independent laboratory validation of the Food Security Test Kit.
Independent Validation Report
Full nine-page NC State University study documenting the food matrices, poison challenges, sample preparation, reaction times, results and study conclusions.
Official RDT&E Program Record
Department of Defense budget documentation records development and planned operational evaluation of a food-security test kit for personnel protection at high-threat overseas government facilities.
Government Program Background
Review CTTSO’s description of the Technical Support Working Group research-and-development program and its relationship to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations / Low-Intensity Conflict.
Questions About KT-06 Validation?
ChemSee can provide additional technical and purchasing information for government agencies, military organizations, security programs, institutions and international partners evaluating the KT-06 for food-security applications.