Production of a monoclonal antibody and its application in an optical biosensor based assay for the quantitative measurement of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) in foodstuffs

Pantothenic acid (PA), vitamin B5, is an essential B vitamin that may be fortified in food and as such requires robust and accurate methods of detection to meet compliance legislation. This study reports the production and characterisation of the first monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for PA and the subsequent development of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor assay for the quantification of PA. The developed assay was compared with an SPR based commercial kit which utilised a polyclonal antibody (PAb). Foodstuffs, including cereals (n = 43), infant formulas and baby food (n = 10) and fruit juices (n = 48) were analysed by both the MAb and PAb biosensor assays and comparison plots showed good correlation (R2 0.77–0.99). The results indicate that the MAb based biosensor assay is suitable for the measurement of PA in foodstuffs and has the added advantage of facilitating a constant, long term supply of identical antibody. Preliminary matrix studies suggest the MAb based assay is an excellent candidate for further validation studies and routine quality assurance based analysis.