Evaluation of the applicability of two different immunoassays for the detection of wheat gluten in baby foods

Immunoassays are one of the most powerful of all immunochemical techniques. They are employed in a wide range of methods to detect and quantify antigens or antibodies. The aim of the present work is to illustrate basic issues relating enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), including its potential application to Food chemistry. Students carry our two different ELISA protocols for the determination of gliadin concentration and are encouraged to discuss the applicability of each method to the detection of gluten in baby cereals. Biology and Chemistry undergraduate students have performed this experiment in our laboratories during the last academic course. The use of commercially available antibodies conjugated with the reporter enzyme shortens and cheapens the protocols, and helps to their widespread application. (C) 2000 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.