Organization and ELISA-Based Results of the First Proficiency Testing to Evaluate the Ability of European Union Laboratories to Detect Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Type B (SEB) in Buffer and Milk
Yacine Nia,
Mélanie Rodriguez,
Reinhard Zeleny,
Sabine Herbin,
Frédéric Auvray,
Uwe Fiebig,
Marc-André Avondet,
Amalia Munoz,
Jacques-Antoine Hennekinne
Affiliations
Yacine Nia
Laboratory for food safety, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
Mélanie Rodriguez
Laboratory for food safety, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
Reinhard Zeleny
Joint Research Centre, Directorate for Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, European Commission, Retieseweg 111, Geel 2440, Belgium
Sabine Herbin
Laboratory for food safety, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
Frédéric Auvray
Laboratory for food safety, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
Uwe Fiebig
Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens Biological Toxins, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin 13353, Germany
Marc-André Avondet
LABOR SPIEZ, Eidgenössisches Departement für Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport VBS Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS, Spiez 3700, Switzerland
Amalia Munoz
Joint Research Centre, Directorate for Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, European Commission, Retieseweg 111, Geel 2440, Belgium
Jacques-Antoine Hennekinne
Laboratory for food safety, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
The aim of this work was to organize the first proficiency test (PT) dedicated to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) detection in milk and buffer solutions. This paper describes the organization of the PT trial according to EN ISO 17043 requirements. Characterization of the SEB stock solution was performed using SDS-PAGE and SE-specific ELISA, and amino acid analysis was used to assign its protein concentration. The solution was then used to prepare six PT materials (four milk and two buffer batches) at a ng/g toxin level, which included one blank and one SEA-containing milk as specificity control. Suitable material homogeneity and stability were assessed using screening and quantitative ELISAs. Among the methods used by the participants, ELISA-based methods demonstrated their efficiency for the detection of SEB in both simple and complex matrices. The results serve as a basis for further improving the detection capabilities in expert laboratories and can therefore be considered as a contribution to biopreparedness.
