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ZDNET key takeaways
Allergen Alert tests food for allergies.
It will launch with gluten and lactose tests in mid-2026.
Other allergen tests will be added later.
Dining out at new restaurants can be a fun way to try different cuisines and get together with friends. For people with allergies, though, eating food they haven't prepared themselves in a new place can pose a serious threat. Cross-contamination can happen anywhere, and food-related anaphylaxis sends patients to the emergency room every six minutes, according to the Journal for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
This new device, no bigger than a CD player, aims to prevent anaphylaxis for some of the most common food allergies. Think of Allergen Alert as a mini lab test for your plate to detect common allergens, like lactose or gluten. The allergy-detecting device is on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Also: CES 2026: Live updates
Allergen Alert works by inserting a small sample of a dish into the pouch, which is then crushed, diluted, and extracted for problematic molecules, such as gluten, lactose, or other allergens. It has taken over ten years of development, but the device has been granted three patents and received FDA clearance, according to Antoine Burgaud, Allergen Alert's chief operating officer.
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