IMMUNOLOGICAL DETERMINATION OF MICROORGANISMS AND TOXINS IN FOOD - APPLICATION AND PROSPECTS

Immunological methods of determination are based on the ability of ant ibodies to ''recognize'' three-dimensional structures and are playing an increasingly important role in the examination of foods. Of the man y possible methods it is mainly enzyme immune tests that are used as c ompetitive or non-competitive (sandwich) test systems. Enzyme immune t ests are divided into so-called ''microtitre plate tests'' and ''quick tests'' depending on how they are to be used. In the microbiology of foods the range of commercial tests systems available is concentrated on the areas of mycotoxins, bacterial toxins and pathogenic organisms. Enzyme immune tests for the detection of mycotoxins are already being used routinely because of the advantages they have over physico-chemi cal methods and make it possible to detect very small concantration of harmful substances. In the detection of micro-organisms immune tests have to compete with conventional cultural methods and molecular biolo gical methods and need, as always, time-consuming enrichment stages. A t present immune tests are indispensable in the determination of bacte rial toxins, e.g. of S. aureus enterotoxins. In the light of new food legislation, new sampling strategies and consumer demands for ''safer' ' foods immune tests represent a promising alternative or completement to conventional microbiological methods.