Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative immunoassays to detect barley contamination in gluten-free beer with confirmation using LC/MS/MS

J AOAC Int. 2014 Nov-Dec;97(6):1615-25. doi: 10.5740/jaoacint.14-058.

Abstract

To meet the need for the detection and quantitation of barley gluten in beer, qualitative screening and quantitative immunoassays based on the monoclonal antigluten antibody 401/21 (Skerritt) were validated in a single laboratory. Sample replicates were tested at each stage of beer production using multiple yeast strains and methods of end-stage protein removal. Quantitation was performed using barley-specific standards based on barley flour extracts. Immunoassay results were confirmed using LC/MS/MS for barley-specific peptides. The LOD for the qualitative screening test was 5 mg/L barley gluten. Recovery for the barley-spiked worts ranged from 81 to 128% in the quantitative ELISA assay; the LOD was <1 mg/L, and the LOQ was 5 mg/L. Both screening and confirmation methods were found to be fit for the purposes of detection of low levels of barley gluten in beer.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Beer / analysis*
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods*
  • Glutens / analysis*
  • Hordeum / chemistry*
  • Limit of Detection
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Glutens