Food poisoning kit transforms into 10-minute coronavirus test

Nippon Sheet Glass readies lightweight device priced below competing exam kits

20200618N PCR tester

Nippon Sheet Glass converted a test kit designed to detect microbial contamination in food. (Photo by Megumi Iwano)

MEGUMI IWANO, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's Nippon Sheet Glass has converted a kit used to prevent food poisoning outbreaks into a diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus capable of returning results in as little as 10 minutes.

The company, which plans to put the portable kit on sale as soon as July, will use a lower price of roughly 800,000 yen ($7,460) per unit to compete against the legion of rival products entering the market.

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