Monoclonal-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of zearalenone in cereals

A monoclonal antibody against zearalenone (ZEA) was produced and used successfully to develop a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DC-ELISA) for the analysis of ZEA in cereals. This DC-ELISA had a limit of detection of 0.15 +/- 0.02 microg l(-1) and an IC50 value of 1.13 +/- 0.16 microg l(-1). Matrix interference was minimized by dilution of the sample extract before ELISA assays. Aqueous methanol (80%) gave good extraction efficiencies, and the recovery from spiked rice, barley, and corn samples averaged between 87 and 112%. Although ZEA was detected in seven (9%) of 80 rice samples and in eight (16%) of 50 barley samples, the concentration of ZEA in samples was around or below the limit of detection of DC-ELISA. Among 38 corn samples, ZEA was detected in nine (24%) samples in the range 41.0-909.8 microg kg(-1). Re-analysis of the ELISA-positive corn samples by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed that seven (18%) corn samples were positive. The ZEA results for corn showed very good agreement between DC-ELISA and a commercial AgraQant zearalenone kit (r2 = 0.98). Thus, the monoclonal antibody-based DC-ELISA could be applied to the preliminary screening of ZEA contamination when analysis of a large sample number is needed.