Abstract: A competitive ELISA kit for tetracycline (TC) residues detection was developed by employing TC monoclonal antibody prepared by hybridoma technology using anti-TC monoclonal antibodies secreted by immunized BALB/c mouse. Performance tests showed that the logit/log calibration curve of the kit was y = －2.3x + 2.79 (correlation coefficient, r = 0.9971), with a linear range from 0.05 to 4.05 ng/mL, the half inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 0.293 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 0.05 ng/mL and the detection limit ranged from 3 to 5 ng/mL. The recovery for spiked TC in muscle, milk, and honey was (90 ± 10)%, ( 85 ± 10)% and (90 ± 10)%, with coefficient of variations (CV%) less than 15%, respectively. Cross-reactivity between TC and CTC was more than 60%, and there was no cross-reactivity between TC and other antibiotics. This ELISA Kit could be stored at 4 ℃ for more than six months.

Key words: food, tetracycline, monoclonal antibodies, competitive ELISA