▁measured ▁via ▁capac itive ▁coupling ▁between ▁the ▁ves icles ▁and ▁the ▁electro de . ▁ ▁Bio elect ric ▁recognition ▁ass ay ▁( BER A ) ▁The ▁bio elect ric ▁recognition ▁ass ay ▁( BER A ) ▁is ▁a ▁novel ▁method ▁for ▁determ ination ▁of ▁various ▁chemical ▁and ▁bi ological ▁mole cules ▁by ▁meas uring ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁memb rane ▁potential ▁of ▁cells ▁imm obil ized ▁in ▁a ▁gel ▁matrix . ▁A part ▁from ▁the ▁increased ▁stability ▁of ▁the ▁electro de - cell ▁interface , ▁imm obil ization ▁pres erves ▁the ▁vi ability ▁and ▁phys i ological ▁functions ▁of ▁the ▁cells . ▁B ER A ▁is ▁used ▁primarily ▁in ▁b ios ensor ▁applications ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁ass ay ▁analy tes ▁that ▁can ▁interact ▁with ▁the ▁imm obil ized ▁cells ▁by ▁changing ▁the ▁cell ▁memb rane ▁potential . ▁In ▁this ▁way , ▁when ▁a ▁positive ▁sample ▁is ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁sensor , ▁a ▁characteristic , ▁" sign ature - like " ▁change ▁in ▁elect rical ▁potential ▁occurs . ▁B ER A ▁is ▁the ▁core ▁technology ▁behind ▁the ▁recently ▁launched ▁pan - Europe an ▁FO OD SC AN ▁project , ▁about ▁p estic ide ▁and ▁food ▁risk ▁assess ment ▁in ▁Europe . ▁B ER A ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁detection ▁of ▁human ▁vir uses ▁( he pat itis ▁B ▁and ▁C ▁vir uses ▁and ▁her pes ▁vir uses ), ▁veter inary ▁disease ▁agents ▁( foot ▁and ▁mouth ▁disease ▁virus , ▁pr ions , ▁and ▁blue ▁tongue ▁virus ), ▁and ▁plant ▁vir uses ▁( to b