A research team from the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Chemical Technology has successfully developed a rapid detection tool for borax in food. “Borax Testing Kit” consists of test strips containing curcumin (an extract from turmeric) and a small vial of boric acid (the size of a nasal spray bottle).
To test for borax, the test strip is pressed against the surface of the food to absorb the solution. Then, boric acid is applied to the strip, and depending on the color change, the tester can determine whether the food contains borax.
The time from testing to result takes a maximum of about 3 minutes. The kit can detect borax in food with very high sensitivity, at 50 milligrams/kg of food.
Master’s student Phung Van Trung, the project leader, mentioned that the expected price of the kit is 25,000 VND per box (approximately 100 test kits).
THU THAO
