The test requires the use of two components. The first component is a glass vial containing a predetermined amount of receptors linked to gold particles. The second is a dipstick made up of a set of membranes with two specific capture lines. The specific “test” line is placed below the control line.
Following a simple extraction protocol, a homogeneous mix that is suitable for analysis is generated. When the reagents from the glass vial are re-suspended with the honey mix, receptors will bind tetracycline if present during the first 15-minutes incubation at RT. Afterwards, when the dipstick is dipped into the honey mix, the liquid starts running vertically on the dipstick and passes through capture zones. When the sample is free of tetracycline, a colour development occurs at the test line, indicating the absence of tetracycline in the honey sample. On the contrary, the presence of tetracycline in the honey sample will not cause the coloured signal to appear at the test line.