Patent ID: 7319032

Claim:
A test device for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample, said device comprising a chromatographic medium comprising: (a) an analyte binding zone comprising a mobile detectable analyte binding reagent capable of binding to said analyte, and (b) an assay zone comprising an immobilized assay reagent capable of immobilizing said mobile detectable analyte binding reagent, wherein said assay zone is in fluid communication with said analyte binding zone upon wetting said chromatographic medium; and (c) a sample release zone comprising a bulking material comprising a non-sugar sweetener compound selected from the group consisting of polyalcohol sweetener, hydroxypyrone sweetener, peptidyl sweetener, halo-substituted sugar derivative, and sulfimide sweetener, wherein said sample release zone is upstream of said assay zone and in fluid communication with said assay zone upon wetting said at least one chromatographic medium.