Monoclonal antibody based inhibition ELISA as a new tool for the analysis of melamine in milk and pet food samples

Stories of recent cases about melamine misuse to raise the false impression of a high protein content of milk in China emerged in September of 2008, have become an international health event. To meet the need for rapid and reliable monitoring of melamine in milk samples, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) was produced and an inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed based on the mAb. The standard curve was linear in the range from 0.03 to 9 ng mL−1 with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.01 ng mL−1. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.35 ng mL−1. The average recovery values of melamine in the liquid milk, powder milk, dog food and cat food were 99%, 96%, 9% and 98%, respectively and the coefficient of variation (CV) values of all samples were less than 10%. The obtained results showed a potential method as a tool for the rapid and reliable monitoring of melamine in liquid milk and milk powder samples (158 words).