Comparative study on the characterization of antisera of anti‐aflatoxin B1 from rabbit and laying hen

Polyclonal antisera specific for aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) were developed in rabbits and laying hens immunized with AFB₁ conjugated to bovine serum albumin (AFB₁‐BSA). During the immunization schedule, AFB₁‐specific antisera from rabbits started to obviously be secreted after 60 days of the first AFB₁‐BSA injection, reached to a peak at day 120, and started to go down at day 135; while in regard to laying hens, antibodies began to largely be produced at day 90, arrived to a peak at day 135, and began to go down at day 165. The rabbits consistently produced anti‐AFB₁ antisera in 2‐fold higher amounts than the laying hens during the antisera production process. But rabbits' and laying hens' antisera to AFB₁ were found not to be apparently different in cross‐reaction with aflatoxin analogs. Both rabbits' and laying hens' antisera could be used as immunological reagents for detecting AFB₁ in agricultural commodities.