The ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) is a test that uses antibodies and color change to identify a substance. It involves using an enzyme to detect antigen-antibody binding, which converts a colorless substrate into a colored product. There are several types of ELISA including indirect, direct, sandwich, and competitive ELISA. ELISA can provide quantitative or qualitative results and has applications like screening donated blood and measuring hormone levels.