A flow-through enzyme immunoassay for the screening of fumonisins in maize

The format of an existing flow-through enzyme immunoassay has been optimised for the detection of fumonisin B-1 (FB1) and B-2 (FB2) in maize. The visual detection limit i.e. the smallest mycotoxin concentration resulting in no colour development, is 1000 mug/kg. Assay validation was performed using samples spiked with respectively only FBI and a FB1 + FB2 mixture (ratio 1:1). Results showed that within-day and between-day coefficients of variation ranged from respectively 0.4-10.2% and 1.1-9.0%. Naturally contaminated samples were screened with the developed flow-through method and results were compared with fumonisin contamination values obtained by a validated HPLC method. The assay was demonstrated to be accurate and reliable giving no false compliant and only a low percentage of false non-compliant results. The described method offers a simple, rapid and cost-effective screening tool, thus contributing to a better consumers' health protection. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.