Zearalenone In Maize Research Articles

SERS aptasensor for simultaneous detection of ochratoxin A and zearalenone utilizing a rigid enhanced substrate (ITO/AuNPs/GO) combined with Au@AgNPs

The contamination of mycotoxins poses a serious threat to global food security, hence the urgent need for simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins. Herein, two SERS nanoprobes were synthesized by embedded SERS tags (4-mercaptopyridine, 4MPy; 4-mercaptobenzonitrile, TBN) into the Au and Ag core–shell structure, and each was coupled with the aptamers specific to ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN). Meanwhile, a rigid enhanced substrate Indium tin oxide glass/AuNPs/Graphene oxide (ITO/AuNPs/GO) was combined with aptamer functionalized Au@AgNPs via π-π stacking interactions between the aptamer and GO to construct a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) aptasensor, thereby inducing a SERS enhancement effect for the effective and swift simultaneous detection of both OTA and ZEN. The presence of OTA and ZEN caused signal probes dissociation, resulting in an inverse correlation between Raman signal intensity (1005 cm−1 and 2227 cm−1) and the concentrations of OTA and ZEN, respectively. The SERS aptasensor exhibited wide linear detection ranges of 0.001–20 ng/mL for OTA and 0.1–100 ng/mL for ZEN, with low detection limits (LOD) of 0.94 pg/mL for OTA and 59 pg/mL for ZEN. Furthermore, the developed SERS aptasensor demonstrated feasible applicability in the detection of OTA and ZEN in maize, showcasing its substantial potential for practical implementation.

Molecular imprinting of rice husk-derived mesoporous silica for purification and determination of zearalenone

Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most prevalent mycotoxins worldwide, yet the extraction and determination of ZEN remain challenging due to difficulties in its purification from the food matrix. In this study, rice husk-derived mesoporous silica (MS) particles were surface-modified with molecularly imprinted polymers (MS@MIPs). The MS@MIPs featured a dense and homogeneous texture with an average particle size of ca. 550 nm, which had an imprinting factor of 5.17 for ZEN. When applied in solid phase extraction (SPE) by packing MS@MIPs and MS (80:20) in a polypropylene column (MIP-SPE), the recovery rate for ZEN deliberately spiked in maize extract reached 94.34%. This was dedicated to facile detection of ZEN by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (MIP-SPE-HPLC-FLD) showing a linear response to ZEN at 5.0–100 μg/kg with a good R2 of 0.991 and excellent limit of detection and limit of quantification of 1.5 μg/kg and 5.0 μg/kg, respectively. Furthermore, MIP-SPE had good stability with high recovery (≥87.7%) after 5 repeated operations. The results indicated that the MIP-SPE-HPLC-FLD was a facile method for the accurate determination of ZEN in maize.

Emerging Zein-Bound Zearalenone in Maize: Thermal-Induced Mechanism of Binding or Releasing.

The emerging zein-bound zearalenone (ZEN) in maize could affect its nutrition and health. Besides, thermal processing could affect the zein-ZEN interaction, causing the binding or release of ZEN. To control the harm of zein-bound ZEN on the quality of maize, the thermal-induced mechanism of binding or releasing of zein-bound ZEN were studied. Results showed that thermal processing decreased the binding constant from 1.70 to 0.27 × 104 L mol-1, and binding energy from -78.41 to -32.51 kJ mol-1, with the decreased hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions of ZEN with Leu81 and Arg85, Val125, Ala129, and Gln132. Furthermore, thermal processing destroyed the interactions among zein molecules and caused the unwinding of zein, releasing the ZEN from the hydrophobic cavity of zein. This paper provided theoretic insights into the heat-induced binding/releasing mechanism of ZEN with zein, which helped to perfect the exposure risk evaluation of ZEN (including free and zein-bound ZEN) in maize-based products.

A smartphone-assisted colorimetric aptasensor based on aptamer and gold nanoparticles for visual, fast and sensitive detection of ZEN in maize.

A simple, fast, low cost, sensitive, intuitive, visual, label-free, and smartphone-assisted aptamer sensor based on colorimetric assay for the measurement of zearalenone was constructed. The nucleic acid aptamer of zearalenone was used as the recognition element and gold nanoparticles were used as the indicator. Several factors that could influence sensitivity, including the concentration of aptamer and NaCl, and incubation time, and specificity, have been investigated. The results showed that under the optimal conditions, the signal had a good linear relationship when zearalenone concentration is 5-300ng/mL. A linear regression equation is Y=0.0003X+0.5128 (R2=0.9989) and a limit of detection is 5ng/mL. The specificity of the sensor was good. Zearalenone in maize samples were successfully measured. The recoveries of Zearalenone are 81.3 %-96.4 %. The whole process takes only 15min to complete. The smartphone assisted colorimetric aptamer sensor can be used for the detection of zearalenone in maize.

Occurrence of zearalenone in maize and millet grains and their derived porridges marketed in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

Zearalenone is an endocrine-disrupting mycotoxin commonly found in cereals. The objective of this work was to evaluate zearalenone levels in maize and millet grains, and their porridges to measure the impact of the preparation processes of these porridges on the occurrence of zearalenone. The sampling was realized according to the regulation (EC) No 401/2006 of the European commission. Zearalenone concentration in commodities was determined using HPLC/UV. Zearalenone concentrations were compared with the Maximum Tolerable Limits (MTLs) of zearalenone established by European Union (EC) No1881/2006. The average zearalenone levels in the grains were 82.83 µg/Kg (maize) and 141.88 µg/Kg (millet). These levels were below the MTL in the case of maize, and above the MTL concerning millet. Average zearalenone levels in porridges were 11.70 µg/Kg < MTLs (maize) and 36.16 µg/Kg > Infant Maximum Tolerable Limit (IMTL) of millet. Zearalenone concentrations in millet grains were higher than in maize grains. Zearalenone levels in maize and millet-based porridges were low compared with their respective basic commodities. The processing techniques used for porridges, removed 85.88-93.67% of zearalenone from maize, and 74.51-76.66% of zearalenone from millet. Despite this significant reduction, the average zearalenone content in millet-based porridge was above the IMTL (20 µg/Kg). 

Dietary exposure to zearalenone in maize and millet grains and their porridges marketed in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

Maize and millet are among the staple foods of sub-Saharan populations. In Côte d‘Ivoire, maize and millet are, respectively, second and third most consumed cereals. In this work, we evaluate the health risk related to the presence of zearalenone in maize and millet and their porridges. The zearalenone contents of the foodstuffs were determined using HPLC-UV. The health risk was characterised by the ratio (R) of probable daily intake (PDI) to acceptable daily intake (ADI). The consumption of maize generates a significant health risk in infants (R = 163.4%). Likewise, millet contains excess zearalenone for infants and children with R = 2934.0% and 118.0%, respectively. The combination of maize and millet increases the risk for infants (R = 457.4%), children (R = 183.0%) and adolescents (R = 101.6%). Millet porridge caused a significant health risk in infants (R = 120%). Consumption of the two types of porridge significantly increases the health risk. Thus, the R ratio varies between 48% and 444% in the case of ingestion of both types of porridge, against 12–56% for maize porridge, and 24–120% for millet porridge. Children and infants were most exposed with respective R of 120% and 444%. These results suggest a need for vigilance to minimise exposure to zearalenone.

A novel dual-channel immunochromatographic strip using up-conversion nanoparticles for simultaneous detection of AFB1 and ZEN in maize.

Due to universal contamination and synergistic toxicity of multiple mycotoxins in foodstuff, reliable and high-throughput detection methods for multiple mycotoxins are urgently needed in corn products. In this study, a novel dual-channel immunochromatographic assay (ICA) based on improved up-conversion nanoparticles (IUCNPs) was developed for rapidly detecting aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN). The synthesized IUCNPs doped by 30% Lu3+ showed alarger size, more regular structure, and brighter fluorescence intensity than conventional UCNPs. The limits of detection (LODs) of single-channel ICA test strips for AFB1 and ZEN detection were 0.01 and 0.1ng/mL, respectively. After the optimization, the dual-channel ICA of AFB1 and ZEN in 10min was conducted, resulting in low detection limits of 0.025 and 0.1ng/mL, respectively. Moreover, the built assay was revealed to behighly specific for sixother food-contaminated mycotoxins, and exhibited excellent accuracy, with corresponding R2 of 0.9931 and 0.9982 in calibration curves, respectively. Long-term storage experiments indicated that the dual-channel test strips had superior stability and precision. The LODs of AFB1 and ZEN in spiked maize were 0.025 and 0.25μg/kg, demonstrating great sensitivity and matrix tolerance. Furthermore, the IUNCP-ICA was validated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, and a satisfactory consistency was obtained in 15 natural maize samples. Thus, the IUCNPs-ICA proposed in this work realized rapid and sensitive detection of AFB1 and ZEN, providing broad application potential in on-site screening for multiple mycotoxins in agricultural products.

Degradation of Zearalenone by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Cold Plasma and Its Effect on Maize Quality.

In this study, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma was used to degrade zearalenone, and the degradation efficiency and the quality of maize were evaluated. The results showed that the zearalenone degradation rates increased with the increase in voltage and time. When it was treated at 50 KV for 120 s, the degradation percentage of the zearalenone in maize could reach 56.57%. The kinetics' analysis showed that the degradation followed a first-order reaction. The crude fiber of the maize reduced after the cold plasma treatment. In addition, cold plasma treatment did not significantly change the crude protein content, but slightly changed the fatty acid and color. The changes in maize quality are generally acceptable. DBD cold plasma may be a promising approach to reducing zearalenone in maize.

Dual-signal amplified cathodic electrochemiluminescence aptsensor based on a europium-porphyrin coordination polymer for the ultrasensitive detection of zearalenone in maize

The sensitive and fast detection of mycotoxins is of considerable significance in the prevention of mycotoxin contamination in cereals. This study reports the ultrasensitive detection of zearalenone (ZEN) in maize by a novel dual-signal amplified cathodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptsensor. The Eu-prorphyrin coordination polymer (Eu-PCP) exhibited a good cathodic ECL signal at − 1.5 V, and consequently the undesirable effect of the oxidation of interfering substances was avoided, which improved the selectivity and stability of the sensor. In particular, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) accelerated the electron transfer rate and effectively improved the ECL signal of the Eu-PCP. Furthermore, the carboxyl-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (C-g-C3N4) acted as a new co-reactant promoter, prompting the co-reactant S2O82- to generate more SO4−• radicals, which further enabled Eu-PCP to generate higher ECL signal. Under optimal conditions, the proposed ECL aptsensor showed a large linear range of 0.001–200 μg kg−1 with a detection limit of 9.75 × 10−5 μg kg−1 (S/N = 3). Finally, the dual-signal amplified cathodic ECL platform was successfully utilized to determine trace amount of ZEN, and its early detection is beneficial to avoid spoilage of maize.

Fluorescence immunoassay based on phage mimotope for nontoxic detection of Zearalenone in maize

AbstractZearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most common mycotoxin contaminants worldwide. In this study, a phage‐based direct competitive fluorescence immunosorbent assay (P‐dcFLISA) was developed for the detection of ZEN. In this P‐dcFLISA, phage mimotope was used to replace chemically synthesized antigens to improve the safety of experiments. Furthermore, ZnCdSe/ZnS (core/shell) quantum dots (QDs) as fluorescent labeling material replaced chromogenic substrate, which are used in traditional ELISA. The 50% inhibition value (IC50) of P‐dcFLISA was 0.301 ng/ml, which was approximately 12‐fold lower than that of phage‐based indirect competitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (P‐icELISA). The limit of detection (LOD) of P‐dcFLISA was 0.023 ng/ml and the detection range was 0.060–1.531 ng/ml. In the added recovery assay, recovery rate was 93.18–105.52%, with the coefficient variation (CV) ranging from 8.39% to 10.55%. The establishment of P‐icFLISA not only save time, but also avoid the use of mycotoxins in the detection process, providing a safe method for the detection of mycotoxins. In conclusion, phage‐based fluorescence immunoassay method has great potential application in ZEN detection and agricultural monitoring.

Occurrences of Deoxynivalenol, Zearalenone and some of their masked forms in selected cereals from Southwest Nigeria

The study determined the occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN) and their metabolites in staple cereals from Southwest Nigeria. Sixty composite samples of maize, sorghum and millet were evaluated for DON, ZEN and their masked forms; 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3Ac-DON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15Ac-DON), α-zearalenone (α-ZEL) and β-zearalenone (β-ZEL). Deoxynivalenol did not co-occur with ZEN in maize, sorghum and millet samples in contrast to previous reports. Only the masked forms; 3Ac-DON occurred in few maize samples within the range < LOQ-24 μg/kg and one millet sample at a concentration of 16 μg/kg. The levels of ZEN in maize and sorghum samples were lower than the maximum limit of 100 μg/kg set by the European Union for ZEN. However, two millet samples exceeded this limit with concentration of 152 and 396 μg/kg. The percentage incidence for α-ZEL was 100% for maize, sorghum and millet samples while the percentage incidence of β-ZEL was 100% for maize and millet and 95% for sorghum samples. Regardless of the low levels of these mycotoxins, particularly DON, the high incidence rates are of concern as there could be synergistic or additive effects from ZEN and its masked forms.

Integrated multi-spectroscopic and molecular modeling techniques to study the formation mechanism of hidden zearalenone in maize

Hidden mycotoxins have been reported to be “protected” by macromolecular substances to escape routine determination, but release to free mycotoxins under gastrointestinal conditions. Nowadays, the hidden zearalenone (ZEN) that binding with macromolecular zein has been found in maize. However, the binding mechanism of ZEN with zein in maize has not been clarified. In this study, the formation of ZEN-zein complex was investigated applying ultrafiltration, multi-spectroscopic and molecular modeling techniques. The steady-state and transient fluorescence analysis suggested the ZEN could interact with zein to form the complex driven by hydrophobic force and hydrogen bonds, which is in accordance with the molecular modeling studies. The conformational changes of zein induced by binding with ZEN were revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD). Elucidating the binding mechanism between zein and ZEN could help the development of detecting hidden ZEN and guarantee the safety of maize products.

Zein-bound zearalenone: A hidden mycotoxin found in maize and maize-products

Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most polluted mycotoxins in maize and maize-products. To date, however, previous studies have only focused on the presence of free ZEN. To confirm the occurrence of hidden ZEN in maize and maize-products, the samples were pretreated using different hydrolysis methods and in vitro digestion. In this study, significantly increased amount of total detectable ZEN was found by the hydrolysis with compound protease and especially in vitro digestion, which indicated the presence of hidden ZEN in maize. The hidden ZEN can be converted into its free form by in vitro digestion and then be found/detected out. Especially, zein-bound zearalenone was the main “hidden mode” for the presence of hidden ZEN. The amount of total detectable ZEN in digested zein was 7 times higher than that in undigested zein. And also, fluorescence quenching and ultrafiltration studies also showed that ZEN can bind with zein spontaneously by non-covalent bonds. Overall, this study aroused an important issue for risk assessment that the total amount of ZEN in maize products might be underestimated due to the presence of zein-bound ZEN.

Assessment of the Health Quality Related to the Presence of Ochratoxin A, Fumonisin B1 and Zearalenone in Maize (Zea mays l.) Produced in Côte D’ivoire

Aims : The aim of this work is to take stock of the level of ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and zearalenone (ZEA) contamination in maize produced in Cote d'Ivoire in order to help improve its quality.&#x0D; Study Design: Maize samples (375) were taken in five producing regions (Poro, Hambol, Gontougo, Gbêkê, Indénié-Djuablin).&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: the collection was carried out on maize in grain, on the cob and in spathe from February 2016 to January 2017. Then, the analyzes were carried out at the Biotechnology Laboratory, Agriculture and Development of Biological Resources of the Félix HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY University.&#x0D; Methodology: The determination of ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1 and zearalenone was carried out according to the methods of regulation No. 401/2006/EC, AFNOR, Miraglia and Brera.&#x0D; Results: The results indicate the presence of ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1 and zearalenone in all forms of maize (grains, cob, spathes) and the five regions visited. However, the average concentrations of fumonisin B1 and zearalenone are respectively 27.46 µg/kg-1999.22 µg/kg and 8.48 µg/kg-341.84 µg/kg and are lower than the prescribed reference standards (2000 µg/kg ; 500 µg/kg). For ochratoxin A, the average concentrations vary from 0.83 µg/kg to 14.38 µg/kg ; 1.92 µg/kg to 18.60 µg/kg and 2.21 µg/kg to 134.89 µg/kg respectively for grains, cob and spathes.&#x0D; Samples from the Regions of Poro, Gbêkê and Hambol have mean concentrations below the maximum reference limit of 5µg/kg. Thus, variability in the sanitary quality of maize was demonstrated from one region to another, regardless of the form of the maize. Based on the principal component analysis, spathes represent the form of maize most prone to high contamination regardless of mycotoxin and région.&#x0D; Conclusion: The searching alternative storage methods and the right form of maize storage could be a solution to the high mycotoxin contamination of marketed maize.

Lateral Flow Immunoassay Based on Polydopamine-Coated Gold Nanoparticles for the Sensitive Detection of Zearalenone in Maize.

In this work, polydopamine-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@PDAs)weresynthesized by the oxidative self-polymerization of dopamine (DA) on the surface of AuNPs and applied for the first time as a signal-amplification label in lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) for the sensitive detection of zearalenone (ZEN) in maize. The PDA layer functioned as a linker between AuNPs and anti-ZEN monoclonal antibody (mAb) to form a probe (Au@PDA-mAb). Compared with AuNPs, Au@PDA had excellent color intensity, colloidal stability, and mAb coupling efficiency. The limit of detection of the Au@PDA-based LFIA (Au@PDA-LFIA) was 7.4 pg/mL, which was 10-fold lower than that of the traditional AuNP-based LFIA (AuNP-LFIA) (76.1 pg/mL). The recoveries of Au@PDA-LFIA were 93.80-111.82%, with the coefficient of variation of 1.08-9.04%. In addition, the reliability of Au@PDA-LFIA was further confirmed by the high-performance liquid chromatography method. Overall, our study showed that PDA coating can chemically modify the surface of AuNPs through a simple method and can thus significantly improve the detection sensitivity of LFIA.

Quantitative assessment of zearalenone in maize using multivariate algorithms coupled to Raman spectroscopy

Zearalenone is a contaminant in food and feed products which are hazardous to humans and animals. This study explored the feasibility of the Raman rapid screening technique for zearalenone in contaminated maize. For representative Raman spectra acquisition, the ground maize samples were collected by extended sample area to avoid the adverse effect of heterogeneous component. Regression models were built with partial least squares (PLS) and compared with those built with other variable selection algorithms such as synergy interval PLS (siPLS), ant colony optimization PLS (ACO-PLS) and siPLS-ACO. SiPLS-ACO algorithm was superior to others in terms of predictive power performance for zearalenone analysis. The best model based on siPLS-ACO achieved coefficients of correlation (Rp) of 0.9260 and RMSEP of 87.9132 μg/kg in the prediction set, respectively. Raman spectroscopy combined multivariate calibration showed promising results for the rapid screening large numbers of zearalenone maize contaminations in bulk quantities without sample-extraction steps.

Fluoroimmunoassays for the detection of zearalenone in maize using CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots

CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in aqueous phase and conjugated with a new anti-zearalenone (ZEN) monoclonal antibody. Using this novel fluorescent probe, a fluoroimmunoassay (FLISA) and a rapid immunochromatographic strip (ICTS) were developed for the detection of ZEN in maize. Our proposed FLISA allowed for ZEN determination in the range of 0.038–0.977 ng/mL with an IC50 of 0.162 ng/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.012 ng/mL occurring in maize. The rapid ICTS had a visual LOD of 1.0 ng/mL in buffer solution and 1.5 ng/mL in maize extract. These two QDs-based immunoassays were all successfully verified by commercial ELISA kits. The results confirmed that: firstly, the FLISA can be used as a robust method for the sensitive detection of ZEN; and secondly, the ICTS is ideally suited for rapidly screening large numbers of samples.

Time-Resolved Fluorescence Immunochromatographic Assay Developed Using Two Idiotypic Nanobodies for Rapid, Quantitative, and Simultaneous Detection of Aflatoxin and Zearalenone in Maize and Its Products.

Aflatoxins and zearalenone (ZEN) are highly common mycotoxins in maize and maize-based products. This study aimed to report a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic assay (TRFICA) developed using two idiotypic nanobodies for rapid, quantitative, and simultaneous detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ZEN in maize and its products. A novel Eu/Tb(III) nanosphere with enhanced fluorescence was prepared as a label and conjugated to anti-idiotypic nanobody (AIdnb) and monoclonal antibody (mAb). On the basis of nanosphere-antibody conjugation, two patterns of competitive time-resolved strip methods (AIdnb-TRFICA and mAb-TRFICA) were established and compared. The half inhibition concentration of AIdnb-TRFICA was 0.46 and 0.86 ng·mL-1 for AFB1 and ZEN, which was 18.3- and 20.3-fold more sensitive than that of mAb-TRFICA for AFB1 and ZEN, respectively. Under optimal conditions, AIdnb-TRFICA for dual mycotoxin was established and provided a quantitative relationship ranging from 0.13 to 4.54 ng·mL-1 for AFB1 and 0.20 to 2.77 ng·mL-1 for ZEN, with a detection limit of 0.05 and 0.07 ng·mL-1 in the buffer solution, respectively. AIdnb-TRFICA showed good recoveries (72.6%-106.6%) in samples and was applied to detect dual mycotoxin in maize samples with satisfying results. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report about a time-resolved strip method based on AIdnbs for dual mycotoxin.

Development of an electrochemical immunosensor to determine zearalenone in maize using carbon screen printed electrodes modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes/polyethyleneimine dispersions

An electrochemical immunosensor is developed to determine zearalenone (ZEA) mycotoxin in maize samples. It is based on the use of a composite, which was prepared from anti-ZEA poly-clonal antibody bonded to gold nanoparticles immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes/polyethyleneimine dispersions. Carbon screen printed-electrodes (CSPE) were used in the electrochemical transduction stage. The immunoassay is based on a direct competitive assay between ZEA in maize samples and ZEA labeled with horseradish peroxidase enzyme (ZEA-HRP). ZEA determination was performed by amperometry, using an applied potential of −0.3V. The H2O2, which was not consumed by HRP, was reduced at the electrochemical immunosensor surface. Thus, the reduction current was proportional to the amount of ZEA present in samples. All experimental variables involved in the construction of the electrochemical immunosensor were optimized. The linear concentration range is from 1×10−4 to 1×10−1ngmL−1. The limit of detection and SC50 were 0.15pgmL−1 and 2pgmL−1, respectively. In addition, an acceptable accuracy, with a percentual coefficient of variation (%CV) less than 20%, and recovery percentages close to 105% were found. The electrochemical immunosensor has great advantages such as no pre-treatment of the sample is required, the sample volume is of 20μL, the experiments require short times and a very low limit of detection is obtained. Results obtained with this electrochemical immunosensor were compared with those determined by HPLC-fluorescence detection, obtaining a very good correlation. The proposed immunosensor is a valuable alternative tool to determine ZEA in maize samples.

Development and Application of an Immunoaffinity Column Enzyme Immunoassay for Mycotoxin Zearalenone in Complicated Samples

The zearalenone (ZEA) monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2D3, one of the highest sensitivity antibodies, was developed. Based on this mAb, it was established of an immunoaffinity column (IAC) coupled with an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA). After optimization, the icELISA allowed an IC50 against ZEA of 0.02 µg L−1. The mAb 2D3 exhibited a high recognition of ZEA (100%) and β-zearalenol (β-ZOL, 88.2%). Its cross-reactivity with α-zearalenol (α-ZOL) and β-zearalanol (β-ZAL) were found to be 4.4% and 4.6%, respectively. The IAC-icELISA method was employed to analyze ZEA contamination in food samples, compared with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The spiked assay for ZEA demonstrated the considerable recoveries for IAC-icELISA (83–93%) and HPLC (94–108%) methods. Results showed that the mAb 2D3 and IAC-icELISA method posed potential applications in sensitively determination of ZEA in maize.