Simultaneous quantitative determination of multiple mycotoxins in cereal and feedstuff samples by a suspension array...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Mycotoxins, toxic secondary metabolites from fungi, frequently co-occur in food and feed commodities.
• Concurrent contamination poses significant risks to human and animal health due to synergistic toxic effects.
• Accurate and simultaneous quantification of multiple mycotoxins is essential for effective risk assessment and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel suspension array immunoassay for the simultaneous quantification of four key mycotoxins.
• To establish a rapid, high-throughput method for detecting zearalenone, fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol, and aflatoxin B1.
• To assess the assay's performance characteristics, including sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, in comparison to established methods.

Main Methods:

• Development of a direct competition multiple suspension array immunoassay using antibody-conjugated microspheres.
• Conjugation of antimycotoxin monoclonal antibodies to distinct microsphere sets (19#, 37#, 39#, 49#).
• Optimization of the assay using mycotoxin-protein conjugates, biotinylation, and streptavidin-phycoerythrin reporter system.

Main Results:

• The immunoassay achieved low detection limits: zearalenone (0.51 ng/mL), fumonisin B1 (6.0 ng/mL), deoxynivalenol (4.3 ng/mL), and aflatoxin B1 (0.56 ng/mL).
• Demonstrated high recovery rates (92.3%–115.5%) in spiked cereal and feedstuff samples.
• Exhibited excellent correlation (r = 0.99, P < 0.01) with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for commercial samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed suspension array immunoassay is a high-throughput and accurate tool for the rapid, simultaneous quantification of multiple mycotoxins.
• This method provides a reliable alternative for routine analysis of mycotoxin contamination in cereal and feedstuff matrices.
• The assay contributes to enhanced food and feed safety by enabling efficient monitoring of critical contaminants.