Traditional COVID-19 tests require lab analysis, but a Dutch researcher has pioneered a simple at-home kit using just a Nespresso coffee pod and a pot of boiling water.
In the Netherlands, around 3.5 million tests are performed weekly. Whether nasopharyngeal swabs or saliva samples, they typically undergo extraction, amplification, and thermocycler processing in labs. Self-tests exist but lack DNA amplification, reducing reliability.
Vittorio Saggiomo, a bionanotechnology researcher at Wageningen University, developed this method, detailed in a ChemRxiv pre-print on March 23, 2021. Dubbed CoroNaspresso, it's a safe DIY test using boiling water and a Nespresso coffee pod.
Priced low and scalable for mass production, CoroNaspresso is universal and generates zero waste, supporting environmental protection.
This test employs loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), using primers to target specific DNA regions. A DNA polymerase separates strands for synthesis, forming loops to streamline amplification. A fluorescent reagent indicates results.
Amplification mirrors RT-PCR but at a steady 65°C. Temperature control uses a phase-change material—Rubitherm® paraffin (melts at 65°C, €0.13/kg)—inside a heat-resistant Nespresso pod, avoiding costly electronics.
Simply add the sample to the pod and submerge in boiling water for 25 minutes. Check the pH indicator tube: yellow (positive) or orange (negative). In trials with 6 participants (3 positive), it achieved 100% accuracy at a cost of just €0.20 per test. Note: Peer review is pending.
