Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 September 2006
Latex immune agglutination method with a multipurpose auto-analyser (the automated latex assay) was validated for determination of bovine lactoferrin (BLF) in various dairy products. Reproducibility-within-laboratory (intermediate precision) due to day for infant formula, UHT milk and yogurt supplemented with BLF at 50 mg/100 g for infant formula and UHT milk, and at 100 mg/100 g for yogurt were 1·62 to 3·10 mg/100 g. Reproducibility-within-laboratory due to analysis (morning, noon, and evening) for raw milk was 1·59 mg/100 g. Trueness, accuracy in determining known amounts added for BLF-supplemented dairy products was −4·7 to −2·0 mg/100 g. BLF concentration in raw milks was 20·3 to 21·8 mg/100 g. Although interference by the matrixes took place in infant formula and raw milk, BLF assays were accurately carried out by 2000-fold dilution or standard-addition method. Automated latex assay for BLF is simple, rapid, precise and accurate enough for a routine method in various dairy products containing BLF.