FOR CLINICIANS
Your patients are asking about gluten testing tools.
Here’s what you need to know and how to request a NIMA starter kit.
NIMA is a portable gluten detection sensor. It is not a medical device. This page is designed to give you an accurate, complete picture of what it does, where it works, and where it doesn’t, so you can answer your patients’ questions with confidence.
REAL-LIFE USE CASES
When it comes up in practice.
When it comes up
in practice.
Where NIMA may play a helpful role in everyday gluten uncertainty.
Newly diagnosed
You are starting the conversation, not carrying the outcome.
What NIMA Is (and Isn’t)
Designed to support.
Not to replace.
NIMA is a portable, consumer-use gluten detection sensor. It is not a medical device and does not replace clinical guidance, allergen labeling, or restaurant communication.
It is designed for the moment after a patient has done everything right - read the label, spoken to the kitchen, made their best assessment - and uncertainty remains. It uses lateral flow immunoassay technology to test a pea-sized food sample in about three minutes. In independent third-party testing by Bia Diagnostics Laboratories showed 99% at 10 ppm across wheat, barley, and rye, below the FDA gluten-free threshold of 20 ppm.
Key clinical takeaways:
- Screening tool, not a diagnostic device
- Detects gliadin in a pea-sized food sample
- Best used as one part of a broader gluten management approach
- Results depend on sampling technique, food type, and context
- A negative result does not guarantee a food is completely gluten-free
- Does not replace dietary counseling or clinical care
- Not indicated for fermented or hydrolyzed foods
PROCESS COMPARISON
How NIMA reduces human error.
How NIMA
reduces human error.
All consumer gluten detection devices use lateral flow immunoassay technology. The difference is where human error enters the process. NIMA automates key steps to reduce that variability.
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Sample prep
Manual lateral flow devices
Manual extraction and buffer mixing
Automated extraction -
Result reading
Manual lateral flow devices
Visual strip reading
Optical result reading -
User dependence
Manual lateral flow devices
Results vary by user technique
Automation-led -
Strip interpretation
Manual lateral flow devices
Depends on lighting and eyesight
Determined by camera and algorithm -
Buffer consistency
Manual lateral flow devices
Buffer ratios vary by user
No manual buffer handling -
Sample consistency
Manual lateral flow devices
Sample size may vary
Standardized sample handling -
Output format
Manual lateral flow devices
Results can be subjective
Binary result display
Important: Automation reduces variability, but no result should be treated as an absolute guarantee.
“No Gluten Found” means the tested portion did not trigger detection above the validated 10 ppm threshold.
It is not a guarantee of 0 ppm and does not override a restaurant’s inability to safely serve someone with celiac disease.
FREE STARTER KIT
Request a Free
Provider Starter Kit.
We offer free NIMA starter kits to qualifying clinicians who want to explore NIMA firsthand before discussing it with patients.
What’s included:
- 1 NIMA sensor
- 2 boxes of test capsules (12 tests total)
- Provider overview card with key limitations and use guidance
- Patient information flyers with letters of medical necessity to handout
Join the NIMA
clinician program.
Complete the form below to request a provider starter kit and become part of our clinician network. We review all submissions.
Food categories requiring
additional care or preparation.
Food categories
requiring additional care
or preparation.
NIMA adds one data point, not a replacement for label reading, provider guidance, certified GF products, or restaurant communication.
Some foods require extra preparation, modified sampling, or more careful interpretation when tested with NIMA. In most cases, a clear workaround exists. Where it does not, we say so clearly.
This matrix was developed in consultation with NIMA’s scientific team.
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Fermented, hydrolyzed foods, and alcoholDo not test.
Why it matters
Protein structure altered during fermentation or hydrolysis; antibody may not bind reliably. Alcohol disrupts chemistry.
How to handle it
Use ingredient labels. Examples: soy sauce, malt extract, beer, vinegar (malt), alcohol.
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Thick, dense, or sticky foodsDilute 1:1 with water
Why it matters
These may not mix evenly with the extraction buffer, leading to an uneven sample that may miss contamination. Can also clog the capsule.
How to handle it
Use a smaller-than-usual sample. Note: excessive dilution may cause issues.
-
High oil & fat foodsDilute 1:1 with water
Why it matters
Oil and fat resist mixing with the water-based extraction buffer, creating an uneven sample.
How to handle it
Use a smaller sample. Same caution re: excessive dilution applies.
-
Liquid & high-moisture foodsTest solid portions where possible.
Why it matters
Overfilling with liquid is the most common user error. Too much liquid causes slow flow, no-flow errors, or dilution that lowers detectable ppm.
How to handle it
For liquids: use approximately 5–6 drops if using a dropper. Do not fill past the spindles at the bottom of the capsule. Dilute thicker soups and sauces with a few drops of water.
-
Very dry, powdery, or crumbly foodsFor powders: Use less than 1/8 teaspoon.
Why it matters
Dry materials don't dissolve evenly in the extraction buffer. Too much powder can make the capsule hard to close. Too little may produce an insufficient sample.
How to handle it
Mix into a slurry with a droplets of water before testing (1:1 dilution).
For crackers or dry baked items: sampled amount can easily be larger than a pea - make sure it’s pea sized. -
Brightly colored or high-pigment foodsDilute with water to reduce color intensity.
Why it matters
Strong pigments can interfere with the optical reader's ability to interpret the test strip, potentially causing false positives or false negatives.
How to handle it
Interpret results with awareness of this limitation. Any food that would visibly stain a strip red or purple is in this category.
-
High-acidity foodsUse a small sample
Why it matters
Very low pH (below approximately 3.5) can disrupt the antibody-buffer interaction and cause false positives. Small pea-sized amounts are generally manageable; large amounts of acidic liquid are the problem.
How to handle it
Dilute 1:1 with water. Note: pea-sized amounts of most acidic foods test reliably - it is large volumes of highly acidic liquid that create risk.
-
Spices with known pH interference (paprika, Tajin, similar)Avoid testing spices in their pure or concentrated form
Why it matters
Certain high-concentration spices - particularly those with acidic or deeply colored properties - interfere with chemistry and optical reading simultaneously.
How to handle it
Foods where a high-interference spice makes up a dominant proportion of the sample may warrant additional caution.
-
Foods with hot spots or uneven contaminationTest from the highest-risk area of the dish
Why it matters
Cross-contamination from shared grills, surfaces, or fryers may affect specific areas of a dish - not the whole thing. A single test from one area may miss contamination elsewhere.
How to handle it
For grilled proteins: include a sample from the char mark or edge. For fried items: test the coating. Using your knife or fork to score the surface and collect from multiple points improves coverage.
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Wheat starch-containing productsUnderstand this as a known nuance, not a device failure
Why it matters
Wheat starch is a gluten derivative where the protein (gliadin) has been largely removed during processing. NIMA tests for gliadin. A product using wheat starch may test below the detection threshold even if it is not labeled gluten-free - because the protein, not the starch, is what NIMA detects.
How to handle it
A negative result on a wheat starch product does not confirm it is safe for celiac. Follow manufacturer labeling and your care provider's guidance.
-
High cross-contact risk environmentsIf a restaurant has stated it cannot safely serve someone with celiac disease, that answer stands
Why it matters
Airborne flour, shared fryers, and surface cross-contact cannot be captured by any test result. NIMA tests the food in front of you -not the environment it was prepared in.
How to handle it
A 'No Gluten Found' result does not override an explicit safety warning from the kitchen. Restaurant communication comes before testing - not after.
Note on testing: NIMA detects gluten down to 10ppm. Products certified “gluten free” must have below 20ppm of gluten. This is why some certified gluten free products may have a positive result when tested with NIMA.
Get in touch
Support celiac
care with NIMA.
A practical tool for people managing celiac, backed by resources for the providers guiding their care.
A single introduction can create broader awareness in the places people already rely on for support, guidance, and access.
NIMA is not a medical device and does not replace clinical guidance, dietary counseling, allergen labeling, or restaurant communication. A negative result does not guarantee a food is completely gluten-free. NIMA is designed for use as one layer in a broader gluten management approach. This page is intended for healthcare providers. For consumer-facing information, visit nimanow.com.
