Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) Monoclonal Antibody & BSA Conjugate for Food Safety ELISA & LFA — Broad Phthalate-Class Screening
A DBP phthalate antibody is a monoclonal antibody raised against dibutyl phthalate (DBP) hapten conjugated to a carrier protein (BSA or OVA), used to develop competitive ELISA and lateral flow (LFA) tests for phthalate-class plasticizer contamination in food, beverages, and food-contact materials. Because phthalates are small industrial chemical molecules rather than proteins, they cannot be detected with a conventional sandwich immunoassay. Instead, a competitive inhibition format is used: free DBP in the sample competes with DBP-BSA/OVA conjugate for binding to a fixed amount of anti-DBP antibody, so higher phthalate concentration produces weaker signal. Sekbio's DBP monoclonal antibody achieves IC50 of 20 ppb and — critically for kit developers — shows documented cross-reactivity across six related phthalate compounds, giving one reagent broad-class screening coverage rather than requiring a separate antibody for every plasticizer variant.
Phthalates are industrial plasticizers used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics in tubing, packaging film, coatings, gaskets, and printing inks. They are not chemically bound to the plastic matrix, so they migrate over time into food and beverages that contact PVC-based equipment or packaging — a well-documented food-contact material safety concern. Separately, phthalates have a history as illegal food and beverage adulterants: because they are far cheaper than legitimate emulsifiers, unscrupulous suppliers have substituted phthalates for approved "clouding agents" that give juices, sports drinks, and powdered foods their characteristic opaque appearance. The best-known case is the 2011 Taiwan phthalate food-safety scandal, in which DEHP and related phthalates were found substituted for palm oil in a widely distributed clouding agent, contaminating hundreds of food and beverage products across the regional supply chain. Because phthalates are classified as endocrine disruptors with published associations to reproductive and developmental health concerns, this dual exposure pathway — packaging migration plus deliberate adulteration — has made phthalate-class compounds a strictly regulated and widely monitored contaminant category in food-contact materials and beverages worldwide.
Sekbio's phthalate antibody panel is built around a single, broadly cross-reactive DBP monoclonal antibody with documented reactivity data across the phthalate class: DBP itself at IC50 20 ppb (the primary, most sensitive target); Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP) and Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP) at 50 ppb; Di-n-octyl Phthalate (DNP) and Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP) at 100 ppb; and Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) and Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP) — two of the highest-volume industrial phthalates — at 5,000 ppb (5 ppm). This tiered sensitivity profile means the antibody can be used as a first-pass, broad phthalate-class screening tool: strong positive signals at low concentrations point toward DBP, BBP, or DIBP contamination, while signal at higher concentrations may indicate DNP, DMP, DEHP, or DINP, with confirmatory LC-MS/MS testing used to identify and quantify the specific compound. Reference price is $895.52 per mg for either the DBP monoclonal antibody or the matching DBP-BSA hapten conjugate.
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Sekbio's DBP monoclonal antibody detects seven phthalate-class compounds at documented IC50 thresholds, enabling broad plasticizer-class screening from a single reagent.
| Compound | Full Name | IC50 / Detection Threshold | Relative Sensitivity vs. DBP | Price (mAb or Conjugate, 1mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBP | Dibutyl Phthalate | 20 ppb | Primary target (1×) | $895.52/mg |
| BBP | Benzyl Butyl Phthalate | 50 ppb | 2.5× less sensitive | $895.52/mg |
| DIBP | Diisobutyl Phthalate | 50 ppb | 2.5× less sensitive | $895.52/mg |
| DNP | Di-n-octyl Phthalate | 100 ppb | 5× less sensitive | $895.52/mg |
| DMP | Dimethyl Phthalate | 100 ppb | 5× less sensitive | $895.52/mg |
| DEHP | Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 5,000 ppb (5 ppm) | 250× less sensitive | $895.52/mg |
| DINP | Diisononyl Phthalate | 5,000 ppb (5 ppm) | 250× less sensitive | $895.52/mg |
IC50 and cross-reactivity values from COA release testing in competitive ELISA format using the DBP monoclonal antibody. Prices are reference list prices per 1 mg of monoclonal antibody or hapten-BSA conjugate; OEM bulk-scale pricing for 10 mg to gram quantities is quoted on request. Contact info@sekbio.com for full performance data and matrix-specific extraction protocols.
A single, broadly cross-reactive DBP antibody built for beverage adulteration screening, food-contact material migration testing, and fatty food safety QC.
Sekbio's DBP monoclonal antibody achieves IC50 of 20 ppb in competitive ELISA format — sensitive enough to screen for trace-level DBP migration from food-contact materials as well as higher-concentration adulteration scenarios. Because DBP is one of the most commonly regulated phthalates in food-contact plastics, this sensitivity level is designed to give kit developers meaningful headroom for both migration testing (typically lower-level, chronic exposure) and adulteration screening (typically higher-level, acute contamination), without requiring two separate reagents.
Beyond DBP itself, the antibody is cross-reactive with BBP and DIBP (50 ppb), DNP and DMP (100 ppb), and DEHP and DINP (5,000 ppb) — six additional phthalate compounds spanning the most commercially significant members of the plasticizer class. This tiered cross-reactivity profile allows a single antibody to function as a broad first-pass phthalate-class screen, flagging samples for confirmatory LC-MS/MS identification, rather than requiring kit developers to source, validate, and stock seven separate monoclonal antibodies for a comprehensive plasticizer panel.
The 2011 Taiwan phthalate food-safety scandal — in which DEHP and related phthalates were illegally substituted for palm oil in a common food and beverage clouding agent — remains the reference case for why beverage manufacturers and food safety authorities now routinely screen juices, sports drinks, and powdered food products for phthalate contamination. Sekbio's DBP antibody, with its broad phthalate-class cross-reactivity, is well suited to this exact use case: rapid, low-cost screening of incoming clouding agents and finished beverages ahead of confirmatory laboratory testing.
Phthalates are not chemically bound within PVC plastics, so they migrate out of food-contact packaging, tubing, and processing equipment over time — particularly under conditions of heat, prolonged contact, and high-fat content. Sekbio's DBP antibody supports migration testing programs for food packaging manufacturers and converters who need to verify that plasticizer migration from PVC films, gaskets, and printing inks remains within acceptable limits for direct food contact applications.
Because phthalates are lipophilic, they concentrate preferentially in fat and oil rather than water when migrating from packaging or processing equipment. Cooking oils, fried foods, and other high-fat matrices are therefore a priority testing category. Sekbio's DBP antibody is suitable for competitive ELISA development targeting cooking oils and fatty food products, supporting food safety programs that specifically monitor fat-concentrated plasticizer contamination.
Infant food products typically receive heightened regulatory scrutiny for plasticizer and endocrine-disruptor contamination given the sensitivity of the target consumer population. Sekbio's DBP antibody, validated across a broad phthalate-class cross-reactivity profile, provides infant food manufacturers and testing laboratories with a single-reagent screening tool suitable for routine incoming-ingredient and finished-product QC ahead of confirmatory instrumental analysis.
Sekbio's DBP monoclonal antibody and matching DBP-BSA hapten conjugate are validated for both microplate competitive ELISA and colloidal-gold lateral flow (LFA) rapid test formats. The LFA format is particularly suited to in-line beverage production screening and import-control checkpoints, where a rapid pass/fail result is needed before a batch proceeds to distribution, with laboratory-based ELISA reserved for quantitative confirmation.
MOQ 1 mg per reagent 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 DBP antibody and conjugate production with lot COA documentation, serving food and beverage safety testing laboratories, packaging manufacturers, and export-compliance testing programs across EU, Chinese, and Southeast Asian markets. Explore Sekbio's related antibiotic residue antibodies and melamine antibody for broader food-adulteration screening panel development, or contact our team for support.
Competitive ELISA and LFA antibody supporting beverage adulteration screening, food-contact material migration testing, and fatty food QC.
Following the pattern established by the 2011 Taiwan phthalate food-safety scandal, beverage and juice manufacturers routinely screen clouding agents and finished products for illegal phthalate substitution. Sekbio's DBP antibody, with cross-reactivity across BBP, DIBP, DNP, DMP, DEHP, and DINP, provides a broad first-pass screening tool for incoming clouding-agent ingredients and finished sports drinks, juices, and powdered beverage products, flagging suspect batches for confirmatory LC-MS/MS analysis before distribution.
PVC-based food packaging, tubing, gaskets, and printing inks can release phthalate plasticizers into food and beverages during production, storage, and transport. Sekbio's DBP antibody supports migration testing programs for food packaging manufacturers, converters, and food processors who need to monitor plasticizer transfer from food-contact materials into the food matrix, particularly under conditions of extended contact time, elevated temperature, or high product fat content.
Because phthalates are lipophilic and concentrate preferentially in fat, cooking oils, fried foods, and other high-fat products represent a priority testing matrix for plasticizer contamination. Sekbio's DBP antibody supports competitive ELISA development for edible oil producers and fatty food manufacturers monitoring phthalate transfer from processing equipment, packaging, and storage containers into the fat phase of the finished product.
Infant formula, purees, and other infant food products are subject to heightened regulatory attention for plasticizer and endocrine-disruptor contamination given the vulnerability of the target consumer population. Sekbio's DBP antibody provides infant food manufacturers and contract testing laboratories with a validated screening tool for routine incoming-material and finished-product phthalate monitoring as part of a broader food-contact material and adulteration safety program.
Technical and commercial questions from food safety IVD developers and kit manufacturers building phthalate/plasticizer screening assays.
A phthalate antibody is a monoclonal antibody raised against a phthalate-class hapten conjugated to a carrier protein (BSA or OVA). Phthalates are small industrial plasticizer molecules, so they are detected using competitive inhibition immunoassay formats: free phthalate in the food or beverage sample competes with a phthalate-BSA/OVA conjugate for a limited amount of antibody. High phthalate concentration produces a weak signal (positive result), while low or no phthalate produces a strong signal (negative result). This competitive ELISA or LFA format allows food safety laboratories to screen for phthalate contamination and adulteration at parts-per-billion sensitivity without instrumentation, making it suitable for high-throughput import screening, beverage QC, and food-contact material migration testing.
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is an industrial plasticizer used to soften PVC plastics, coatings, and adhesives. It is not a permitted food ingredient, but it enters the food supply in two ways: migration from PVC food-contact materials, tubing, and processing equipment into food and beverages during production and storage, and deliberate adulteration, where phthalates are illegally substituted for legitimate emulsifiers ("clouding agents") in beverages and foods because they are far cheaper. Phthalates including DBP are classified as endocrine disruptors, with published research associating chronic exposure with reproductive and developmental health concerns. This combination of adulteration risk and toxicological concern is why DBP and related phthalates are strictly regulated in food-contact materials and beverages in major food safety jurisdictions, and why rapid antibody-based screening is widely used at the production and import-control level.
Yes. Sekbio's DBP monoclonal antibody (IC50 20 ppb) shows documented cross-reactivity across the broader phthalate/plasticizer class: Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP) and Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP) at 50 ppb; Di-n-octyl Phthalate (DNP) and Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP) at 100 ppb; and Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) and Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP) at 5,000 ppb (5 ppm). This means the antibody is most sensitive to DBP, BBP, and DIBP, and still detects DNP, DMP, DEHP, and DINP at higher concentrations. For kit developers, this gives one antibody broad phthalate-class screening coverage across seven compounds rather than requiring seven separate reagents — useful for a first-pass adulteration or migration screen, with confirmatory LC-MS/MS reserved for compound-specific quantification.
In 2011, Taiwanese authorities discovered that a food ingredient supplier had substituted DEHP and other phthalates for palm oil in a widely used commercial "clouding agent" (an emulsifier that gives sports drinks, juices, and powdered foods an opaque appearance). Because phthalates are far cheaper than legitimate clouding agents, the substitution went undetected for years and ultimately affected hundreds of food and beverage products across the supply chain, triggering recalls and a regional food safety crisis. The incident remains the reference case for why phthalate screening is now a routine part of beverage and food-additive quality control, and why regulators and manufacturers use rapid immunoassay-based phthalate antibodies to screen incoming ingredients and finished products rather than relying solely on periodic laboratory confirmation.
Sekbio's DBP antibody supports competitive ELISA and LFA development for: beverages and fruit juices, screening for illegal clouding-agent adulteration following the pattern of the 2011 Taiwan incident; food-contact materials and packaging, testing migration of phthalate plasticizers from PVC films, tubing, gaskets, and printing inks into food; cooking oils and other fatty foods, where phthalates are lipophilic and tend to concentrate in fat during processing and storage; and infant food products, which typically receive heightened regulatory scrutiny for plasticizer contamination given the sensitivity of the target consumer population. Contact info@sekbio.com for matrix-specific extraction and sample preparation guidance.
Phthalates are lipophilic (fat-soluble) compounds, meaning they preferentially partition into fat and oil rather than water. When PVC tubing, gaskets, or packaging containing phthalate plasticizers contacts fatty foods or cooking oils during processing, storage, or transport, the phthalates migrate into the fat phase at a higher rate than they would into an aqueous food. This makes cooking oils, fried foods, dairy fat, and other high-fat matrices a priority testing category for phthalate migration monitoring, and is one of the reasons food-contact material regulations often set stricter migration limits for fatty food simulants than for aqueous ones.
MOQ is 1 mg per reagent for R&D evaluation. Reference price is $895.52 per mg for either the DBP monoclonal antibody or the matching DBP-BSA hapten conjugate. OEM quantities from 10 mg to gram scale are available for food safety kit manufacturing, with bulk pricing quoted on request. Standard delivery lead time is 5–10 business days for catalogue quantities; custom bulk production lead time is 4–8 weeks depending on scale. Contact info@sekbio.com for a formal quotation.
Yes. Sekbio's DBP antibody is suitable for competitive LFA configuration, in which the anti-DBP antibody is conjugated to colloidal gold and DBP-BSA conjugate is striped on the nitrocellulose test line; phthalate-positive samples suppress the test line signal. This inverse-competitive format is well suited to on-site or in-line beverage and juice screening, where a rapid pass/fail result on incoming ingredients or finished product can flag suspect batches for confirmatory LC-MS/MS testing before distribution. Contact info@sekbio.com for LFA conjugation protocols and membrane striping parameter guidance specific to beverage matrices.
Request DBP antibody evaluation kits, hapten conjugates, or discuss OEM food safety ELISA and LFA kit development support.