Detection of cow milk adulteration in yak milk by ELISA

In the current study, a simple, sensitive, and specific ELISA assay using a high-affinity anti-bovine β-casein monoclonal antibody was developed for the rapid detection of cow milk in adulterated yak milk. The developed ELISA was highly specific and could be applied to detect bovine β-casein (10–8,000 μg/mL) and cow milk (1:1,300 to 1:2 dilution) in yak milk. Cross-reactivity was <1% when tested against yak milk. The linear range of adulterant concentration was 1 to 80% (vol/vol) and the minimum detection limit was 1% (vol/vol) cow milk in yak milk. Different treatments, including heating, acidification, and rennet addition, did not interfere with the assay. Moreover, the results were highly reproducible (coefficient of variation <10%) and we detected no significant differences between known and estimated values. Therefore, this assay is appropriate for the routine analysis of yak milk adulterated with cow milk.     

Measurement of bovine IgG by indirect competitive ELISA as a means of detecting milk adulteration

The aim of this work was to develop an assay capable of detecting adulteration of high premium milk with milk from cheaper sources. An indirect, competitive ELISA was developed for the rapid detection of cows' milk in the milk of goat, sheep, and buffalo. The assay uses a monoclonal antibody produced against bovine IgG. This antibody recognizes a species-specific epitope on the heavy chain of both bovine IgG1 and IgG2. A peroxidase-conjugated anti-mouse IgG antibody was used to detect bound monoclonal antibody and subsequent enzymatic conversion of substrate resulted in clear differences in absorbance when assaying different mixtures of milks adulterated with cows' milk. Once optimized, the ELISA was found to be highly specific. Detection limits of the assay are 1.0 microg/mL of bovine IgG, or 0.1% (vol/vol) adulteration with cows' milk. The assay was highly reproducible (CV < 10%) and performed equally well when used to detect bovine IgG in mixtures with the 3 types of milk tested. The ELISA performance makes it suitable for development as a kit, for use in the field as a high throughput screening ELISA.     

乳制品中牛IgG含量间接竞争性ELISA检测方法的研究

建立了牛初乳制品和添加了牛初乳成分的乳制品中牛IgG含量间接竞争性酶联免疫吸附测定方法,主要研究步骤包括:制备牛IgG保守区(Fc段),以Fc段为免疫原免疫Balb/C小鼠,取其脾细胞进行细胞融合,制备特异性单克隆抗体及合成适合实际测定用途的ELISA试剂盒。应用本研究建立的方法对标准品和实际样品进行牛IgG含量检测的结果表明,该方法回收率在78.9%～117.5%,批内变异系数小于10%,批间变异系数小于15%,检测结果稳定可靠,可满足目前国内牛初乳制品和添加了牛初乳成分的乳制品品质监控的需要。     

Isolation of immunoglobulin in yolk (IgY) and rabbit serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) specific against bovine lactoferrin by immunoaffinity chromatography

Hens were intramuscularly immunized and rabbits were subcutaneously immunized once every two weeks for 6 weeks using bovine lactoferrin (LF) as antigen. Antibody titers of both yolk (IgY) and rabbit serum (IgG) were as high as 1.68×10⁸ at the 6th and 8th weeks, respectively, after the initial immunization treatment. However, antibody titer against LF in yolk was 9.4×10⁷ at 16 weeks. While antibody titer of rabbit serum declined sharply to 2.1×10⁷ at the 12th week and to 2.6×10⁶ at the 13th week after the initial immunization. The purification efficiency (specific activity of purified antibody against LF/specific activity of the corresponding antiserum or yolk against LF) of rabbit serum IgG purified by laboratory-prepared LF-Sepharose 4B immunoaffinity column (0.05 mg LF/ml wet gel) was about 2400, similar to that of IgY purified by LF-Sepharose 4B immunoaffinity column. Different amounts (0–15.0 mg) of IgY purified by LF-Sepharose 4B immunoaffinity chromatography were applied to the same column to determine the binding capacity (q_m) and dissociation constant (K_d) of LF-Sepharose 4B immunoaffinity gel for IgY specific against LF. It was found that q_m was 0.81 mg IgY/ml wet gel (1.620 mg IgY/mg LF) and K_d was 6.4×10⁻⁶ M as determined by Langmuir-type adsorption isotherms.     

An indirect competitive ELISA for the detection of cows’ milk and caseinate in goats’ and ewes’ milk and cheese using polyclonal antibodies against bovine γ-caseins

 An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was developed for the detection of bovine milk and caseinate in goats’ and ewes’ milk and cheese. Polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbits and chickens against bovine γ₃-casein. In a first affinity chromatography step, antibodies recognizing caseins were absorbed on bovine casein-Sepharose. From the dialysed eluate, antibodies crossreacting with ewes’ and goats’ milk protein were completely removed by immunoadsorption onto stationary phases containing ovine casein and protein extracted from genuine ewes’ and goats’ milk cheese. The detection limit of the ELISA test was 0.1% and the method was applied successfully during an EU collaborative study of the evaluation of methods for the detection of cows’ milk. Received: 15 February 1996     

Detection of cows' milk in ewes' milk and cheese by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been successfully developed for the detection of defined amounts of cows' milk in ewes' milk and cheese. Polyclonal antibodies were raised in goats against bovine caseins (BC). The resultant antibodies were recovered from the crude antiserum by ammonium sulphate precipitation and further purified by immunoatisorption of the cross-reacting antibodies onto columns containing immobilised ovine, caprine and bovine caseins, followed by elution of the bovine caseins specific antibodies (anti-BC) from the column containing the bovine caseins. The anti-BC bound to the wells of a microtitre plate were used to capture the BC from milk and cheese mixtures. Further immunorecognition of the captured proteins was attained with the same specific antibodies conjugated to biotin. ExtrAvidin-peroxidase was used to detect biotinylated antibodies bound to their specific antigens. Subsequent enzymic conversion of substrate gave clear absorbance differences when assaying mixtures of ewes' milk and cheese containing variable amounts of cows' milk.     

Natural occurrence of aflatoxins (B1 and M1) in feed,plasma and raw milk of lactating dairy cows in Beja,Tunisia, using ELISA

Beja is an agricultural area in northwest Tunisia. It contributes to national needs by offering cereals and milk to the market for human and animal consumption. A small number of studies on mycotoxin occurrence in feedstuffs and raw milk from lactating dairy cows in this region are available. Therefore, 226 samples were collected from farms and local markets during November 2008 until April 2010. Samples consisted of 112 raw cow milk, 56 blood from lactating cows and 58 feed destined for dairy cows. Plasma and feed were analysed for aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Milk samples were analysed for aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁). All samples were treated using a simultaneous methanolic-aqueous extraction, followed by immunoaffinity column clean-ups and were investigated by competitive enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Recoveries were 80%–95% and 81%–92% for AFB₁ and AFM₁, respectively, while the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.01?µg/kg or µg/l for both mycotoxins. Results revealed the presence of AFB₁ in 84.4% of the feed samples (mean 18.7?±?1.4?µg/kg), and 39.2% of the plasma-examined samples (median 7.1?±?1.0?µg/l) were found to be contaminated at levels higher than the Tunisian and the European Union (EU) limit for dairy animals, which are 20 and 5?µg/kg in animal feed, respectively. AFM₁ was detected in 60.7% of the cow raw milk samples examined (median 13.6?±?1.4?µg/l). Contaminated levels were higher than the EU limit of 0.05?µg/l. It was concluded that more precaution should be taken on hygiene controls in order to prevent fungal contamination.