MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY-BASED ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY OF FUSARIUM T-2 AND ZEARALENONE TOXINS IN CEREALS

Direct, competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) with m onoclonal antibodies have been developed for quantitative determinatio n of trichothecene T-2 toxin (T-2), and zearalenone (F-2) from differe nt cereals. Among the several extraction solvents tried, 89% acetonitr ile with additives was chosen. The extracts were then used without cle anup in the ELISA. With appropriate dilution of the samples (1:25 or 1 :50), the matrix effects caused by lipid and/or protein content of the samples can be diminished to the extent that the assay is no longer i mpaired. The mean recoveries from cereals infected with 100 to 2,000 n g of T-2 and 50 to 500 ng of F-2 per g were 85 and 91%, respectively. The measuring range of the T-2 test is 100 to 2,000 ng/g, and that of the F-2 test is 25 to 400 ng/g. The mean within-assay and interassay c oefficients of variation of standard curves are both less than 10%. Ac cording to recovery results with artificially infected cereals, our te sts proved to be suitable for rapid screening of food and feed samples for the presence of T-2 and F-2 toxins.