Chloramphenicol, Streptomycin, Tetracycline, Fluoroquinolone & β-Lactam Antibodies for Food Safety ELISA & LFA IVD Development
Antibiotic residue antibodies are monoclonal antibodies raised against antibiotic drug haptens — small-molecule antibiotic compounds conjugated to immunogenic carrier proteins (BSA, KLH, or OVA) to produce an immune response in mice. The resulting hybridoma-derived monoclonal antibodies specifically recognize their target antibiotic analyte at the sub-ppb concentrations required to meet international Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) regulations for veterinary drug residues in food. Because antibiotic molecules are small (MW typically 200–1,500 Da), competitive inhibition immunoassay formats — where free antibiotic in the food sample competes with conjugated hapten for antibody binding — are used instead of sandwich formats. The competitive format achieves the ppb-to-ppt sensitivity necessary for regulatory compliance.
Veterinary antibiotic use in food-producing animals creates residue contamination risks in meat, milk, honey, eggs, and aquatic products that enter the human food supply. Chronic dietary exposure to antibiotic residues contributes to antimicrobial resistance development and poses potential direct health risks (allergic reactions to β-lactams and aminoglycosides; aplastic anemia risk from chloramphenicol even at trace levels). The European Union — through Regulation (EU) 2019/1871 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 — maintains strict MRL limits for veterinary drugs in food. China's GB 31650-2019 National Food Safety Standard defines MRLs for 267 veterinary drugs in animal-derived foods. The U.S. FDA, Codex Alimentarius, and national food safety agencies worldwide impose similar testing requirements. Rapid immunoassay-based screening tests — using antibiotic-specific monoclonal antibodies — are the primary tool for high-throughput food safety monitoring at the farm, slaughterhouse, processing, and import control levels.
Sekbio's food safety antibiotic residue antibody panel covers six major antibiotic classes with documented veterinary use and regulatory significance: Chloramphenicol (banned in food animals globally; EU MRPL 0.3 ppb; Sekbio antibody IC50 0.02 ppb, ELISA sensitivity 0.025 ppb, LFA sensitivity 0.05–0.1 ppb); Streptomycin (aminoglycoside; EU MRL 200–600 ppb depending on tissue; Sekbio antibody IC50 0.5 ppb, cross-reacts with dihydrostreptomycin); Tetracycline (broad-spectrum antibiotic; EU MRL 100–600 ppb; antibody detects tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline); Fluoroquinolone (quinolone antibiotics including enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin; EU MRL 100–300 ppb); β-Lactam receptor (broad-spectrum detection of penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems; critical for milk testing); and Ceftiofur (veterinary third-generation cephalosporin; specific detection in meat and milk).
Six antibiotic targets covering the major veterinary drug residue classes regulated in global food safety standards.
| Target Antibiotic | Class | IC50 | ELISA Sensitivity | LFA Sensitivity | Key Cross-reactivity | EU MRL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloramphenicol (CAP) | Phenicol — Banned | 0.02 ppb | 0.025 ppb | 0.05–0.1 ppb | None (class-specific) | 0.3 ppb MRPL |
| Streptomycin (STR) | Aminoglycoside | 0.5 ppb | 0.5 ppb | 10 ppb | Dihydrostreptomycin (0.5 ppb) | 200–600 ppb |
| Tetracycline (TET) | Tetracycline | Contact us | Contact us | Contact us | OTC, CTC, DOX | 100–600 ppb |
| Fluoroquinolone (FQ) | Fluoroquinolone | Contact us | Contact us | Contact us | Enrofloxacin, CIP, NOR | 100–300 ppb |
| β-Lactam Receptor | β-Lactam (broad) | Contact us | Contact us | Contact us | All penicillins, cephalosporins | 4–50 ppb |
| Ceftiofur (CEF) | Cephalosporin (3rd gen.) | Contact us | Contact us | Contact us | Desfuroylceftiofur (DFC) | 100–4,000 ppb |
IC50 and sensitivity values from COA release testing in competitive ELISA format. Contact info@sekbio.com for full performance data for all targets, sample matrix compatibility, and OEM supply pricing.
Ultra-sensitive antibiotic residue antibodies validated for sub-MRL detection across all major food matrices regulated by EU, China, and global food safety standards.
Sekbio's chloramphenicol (CAP) monoclonal antibody achieves IC50 of 0.02 ppb — the lowest available from the competitive landscape — with ELISA detection sensitivity of 0.025 ppb and LFA sensitivity of 0.05–0.1 ppb. This ultra-sensitivity is critical for chloramphenicol testing because the EU has set a zero-tolerance MRPL of 0.3 ppb (the minimum detectable level, not a legal limit), and any detection above this level constitutes a violation. The antibody's linear range of 0.01–10 ppb enables accurate quantification across the full regulatory range. No cross-reaction with aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, or sulfonamides ensures chloramphenicol-specific results without false positives from other antibiotic classes.
Sekbio's streptomycin monoclonal antibody (IC50 0.5 ppb, ELISA sensitivity 0.5 ppb) intentionally cross-reacts with dihydrostreptomycin at equivalent IC50 — enabling simultaneous detection of both compounds in a single test. This is analytically significant because streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin are commonly used together as combination veterinary products (streptomycin-dihydrostreptomycin), and regulatory MRLs are typically set for the combined residue. The antibody titer exceeds 1:100,000 by indirect ELISA, ensuring high-sensitivity competitive format performance. ELISA sensitivity of 0.5 ppb provides a 400-fold margin below the EU MRL of 200 ppb in muscle tissue for streptomycin.
Sekbio's tetracycline antibody is designed for broad-class tetracycline detection, with cross-reactivity to oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and doxycycline (DOX) — the most frequently used tetracycline antibiotics in veterinary medicine globally. Tetracyclines are the highest-volume veterinary antibiotic class by usage, used in cattle, pigs, poultry, and aquaculture for disease treatment and historically for growth promotion. EU MRLs for tetracyclines are 100–600 ppb depending on tissue type (muscle, liver, kidney, fat) and animal species. Broad-class tetracycline detection enables comprehensive screening coverage in a single test, rather than requiring separate antibodies for each tetracycline compound.
Sekbio's fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibody detects enrofloxacin — the most widely used veterinary fluoroquinolone — with cross-reactivity to ciprofloxacin (the primary metabolite of enrofloxacin), norfloxacin, danofloxacin, and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Enrofloxacin/ciprofloxacin combination residues are regulated at 100–300 ppb in most tissues (EU and Chinese standards). Fluoroquinolones are critically important antibiotics in human medicine (classified as "critically important antimicrobials" by WHO), making their veterinary use and residue monitoring a high-priority food safety concern. The FQ antibody enables ELISA and LFA screening panels targeting this high-risk antibiotic class in poultry, aquaculture, and cattle products.
Sekbio's β-lactam receptor reagent uses the natural β-lactam binding protein (BlaR/penicillin-binding protein) to detect the conserved β-lactam ring structure present in all penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, and monobactams. This receptor-based approach provides broad-spectrum detection impossible to achieve with a single monoclonal antibody — covering penicillin G, amoxicillin, ampicillin, cloxacillin, oxacillin, ceftiofur, cefoperazone, and all other β-lactam antibiotics in a single assay. β-Lactam detection in raw milk is a critical food safety test globally: β-lactam residues in milk can cause allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) in penicillin-allergic consumers. The β-lactam receptor is essential for milk safety screening rapid tests.
MOQ 1 mg per antibody for R&D evaluation. OEM quantities from 10 mg to gram scale available for food safety kit manufacturing. Sekbio's ISO 13485-certified Shenzhen facility provides quality-assured antibiotic residue antibody production with lot COA documentation. Target markets: EU food testing laboratories (RASFF-driven high-volume monitoring), Chinese food safety authorities and contracted testing labs (GB 31650-2019 compliance), Southeast Asian export market testing (EU/US import compliance), and meat/seafood exporter in-process quality control. Contact our team or explore our full antibody catalog for multi-target food safety panel development support.
Ultra-sensitive competitive immunoassay antibodies for meat, milk, honey, seafood, and egg antibiotic residue screening at EU MRL-compliant detection limits.
Veterinary antibiotic residue testing in slaughterhouse meat samples is mandated by EU Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (Official Controls Regulation), Chinese GB 31650-2019, and USDA FSIS national residue programs. Sekbio's tetracycline, fluoroquinolone, β-lactam, streptomycin, and chloramphenicol antibodies enable rapid ELISA or LFA screening panels for beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and lamb muscle, liver, kidney, and fat samples. In the EU, each member state must test a minimum number of animals per year under the National Residue Monitoring Plan (NRMP). Rapid immunoassay screening reduces the time from sample collection to result from the 3–5 days required for LC-MS/MS confirmation to under 2 hours — enabling slaughterhouse-side screening and immediate hold decisions for suspect animals.
Raw milk antibiotic residue testing is the most critical food safety test in the dairy industry — performed at every milk collection to prevent residue-contaminated milk from entering the food supply. β-Lactam antibiotics (particularly penicillin G from mastitis treatment) are the primary concern in dairy, as penicillin-allergic consumers may develop severe allergic reactions from residues as low as 4 ppb in milk. Streptomycin and chloramphenicol residues in milk are also regulated. Sekbio's β-lactam receptor and streptomycin/chloramphenicol antibodies enable both farm-gate and processing plant milk safety testing. The milk testing market globally processes billions of liters of milk daily, making rapid, reliable antibiotic test kits a high-volume consumable market for LFA antibody suppliers.
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector globally, and veterinary antibiotic use in shrimp, salmon, tilapia, and catfish farming creates residue risks in seafood destined for EU and US import markets. Chloramphenicol — despite being banned in food animals — has been repeatedly detected in imported shrimp from Asia, leading to EU RASFF border rejections and trade bans. Fluoroquinolone residues in farmed fish are also a major RASFF notification category. Sekbio's chloramphenicol and fluoroquinolone antibodies enable rapid screening of aquaculture products at low ppb sensitivity levels, supporting export compliance for seafood producers in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, India, and China — all major EU and US seafood export markets. Contact us for aquaculture-specific sample preparation protocols.
Honey is a high-value, high-risk food safety matrix for antibiotic residues — chloramphenicol and streptomycin have been detected in honey from multiple countries, leading to EU import bans and RASFF alerts. Chloramphenicol is used illicitly in some beekeeping operations to treat American foulbrood disease (a bacterial beehive infection), despite being banned in food-producing environments. Streptomycin is legally used for foulbrood in some countries, but the EU has zero tolerance (MRPL 0.3 ppb). Sekbio's chloramphenicol antibody (ELISA sensitivity 0.025 ppb) and streptomycin antibody are ideal for honey antibiotic residue ELISA kit development. Contact our team for honey matrix extraction protocols and antibody performance data in honey-specific competitive ELISA formats.
Technical and commercial questions from food safety IVD developers and kit manufacturers building antibiotic residue screening assays.
The EU has banned chloramphenicol in food-producing animals — there is no MRL (not permitted). Instead, an MRPL (Minimum Required Performance Level) of 0.3 ppb (0.3 μg/kg) is established as the minimum detection sensitivity required for screening tests. Any result above 0.3 ppb triggers regulatory action. Sekbio's CAP antibody achieves IC50 0.02 ppb and ELISA sensitivity 0.025 ppb — providing a 12-fold margin below the 0.3 ppb MRPL. LFA sensitivity of 0.05–0.1 ppb enables field-deployable rapid test screening. Linear range 0.01–10 ppb supports quantitative ELISA kit development for confirmatory screening.
Yes. Sekbio's streptomycin antibody (Lot 231104, IC50 0.5 ppb) cross-reacts with dihydrostreptomycin at the same IC50 of 0.5 ppb. This co-detection is intentional and consistent with regulatory requirements — EU and Codex MRLs for streptomycin are often set as combined streptomycin + dihydrostreptomycin total residue limits (e.g., EU MRL 200 ppb in muscle for the sum of both). The ELISA sensitivity of 0.5 ppb provides 400-fold margin below the 200 ppb muscle MRL. Antibody titer exceeds 1:100,000 by indirect ELISA. Purity ≥90% by SDS-PAGE.
Yes. All Sekbio food safety antibiotic antibodies are validated for competitive LFA format. In LFA configuration, the anti-drug antibody is labeled with colloidal gold (conjugate pad), and drug-BSA conjugate is immobilized on the nitrocellulose membrane (test line). Drug-positive samples suppress the test line signal (inverse format). LFA sensitivity: Chloramphenicol 0.05–0.1 ppb; Streptomycin 10 ppb. Contact info@sekbio.com for LFA-specific antibody conjugation protocols, colloidal gold particle size recommendations, and nitrocellulose membrane striping parameter guidance.
Validated matrices include: meat (beef, pork, poultry, lamb — muscle, liver, kidney, fat); raw and pasteurized milk; honey; shrimp, fish, and aquaculture products; eggs; and animal feed. Each matrix requires matrix-specific extraction and dilution optimization to achieve regulatory MRL-compliant sensitivity and manage matrix interferences (fat content, pigments, protein). Contact info@sekbio.com for matrix-specific extraction protocol recommendations and antibody cross-reactivity data across common food safety matrices.
MOQ is 1 mg per antibody for R&D. OEM quantities from 10 mg to gram scale for kit manufacturing. Antibodies are supplied as purified murine monoclonal IgG in phosphate buffer at high concentration (chloramphenicol: 6.70 mg/ml; streptomycin: 5.5 mg/ml; others: contact us). Purity ≥90% by SDS-PAGE. Storage −20°C, shelf life 3 years. Hapten-BSA/KLH conjugates (for LFA membrane or ELISA plate coating) may also be available — contact info@sekbio.com for conjugate availability and pricing.
Sekbio's chloramphenicol antibody (Lot 230417) shows no cross-reaction with aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, or sulfonamides. For cross-reactivity with structurally related phenicol antibiotics (thiamphenicol, florfenicol) — which share the phenicol core structure with chloramphenicol — specific cross-reactivity data should be requested. Some CAP antibodies show limited cross-reactivity with thiamphenicol and florfenicol; others are highly CAP-specific. For regulatory compliance, CAP-specific antibodies are preferred since thiamphenicol and florfenicol have established MRLs (they are not banned) and their co-detection would generate false positive regulatory notifications. Contact info@sekbio.com for phenicol cross-reactivity characterization data.
Request antibiotic residue antibody evaluation kits, hapten conjugates, or discuss OEM food safety ELISA and LFA kit development support.