Mycotoxin Quantification by Competitive ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are useful in the quantification of antigens like mycotoxins. The zearalenone (ZEA) mycotoxin is commonly found in cereal crops such as corn and wheat, which are used in domestic and farm animal feed. When consumed by farm animals, ZEA can cause harmful reproductive effects. The procedure used to prepare corn and wheat samples for quantification is described in this chapter. An automated procedure was developed to prepare samples from known levels of ZEA in corn and wheat. The final corn and wheat samples were analyzed using a competitive ELISA specific to ZEA.