Detecting allergens in foods

A comprehensive consideration of the detection of allergens in food, in the context of their management during food production and processing.

Food allergies are an increasing health issue in western societies and present a major challenge for the food industry – in understanding how it affects their products and consumers, and in the managing of allergenic materials and the risks of cross-contamination. As a result there has been a wealth of research and development on effective methods for detecting allergens and allergen residues in food. This hardback reference book reviews the range of detection techniques and their application to all the main allergens - such as nuts and dairy products – and explores the relevant regulatory framework of the USA and the EU.

Written by a team of international contributors, under the leadership of Dr. Stef Koppelman (Formerly TNO, Netherlands) and Dr. Sue Helfe (Food Allergy Research and Resource Programme, USA), the book is in four parts. The first introduces the nature of food allergy and the range of plant and animal-derived food allergens. Part 2 reviews the range of available detection methods, from the use of antibodies in immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and the use of lateral flow devices. Building on this foundation, Part 3 looks at detection methods for particular 'allergenic' foods - from peanuts, tree nuts and seeds to dairy and egg residues, wheat, gluten, soy, fish and crustaceans – while part 4 focuses on key issues in using detection methods effectively and the US and EU regulatory context.

Contents

Part 1 - the basics of food allergy

• The nature of food allergy
• Classifying food allergens

Part 2 - Types of detection method

• The use of antibodies to detect allergens in food
• Allergen-specific human IgE antibody-based analysis of food
• Immunoblotting in allergen detection
• Enzyme linked imminosorbent assays (ELISAs) for detecting allergens in food
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for the detection of allergenic foods
• Proteomic assessment of allergens in food
• Detecting food allergens with a surface plasmon resonance inmmunoassy
• The use of lateral flow devices to detect food allergens

Part 3 - Detection methods for particular allergens

• Methods for detecting peanuts in food
• Detecting tree nuts and seeds in food
• Detecting dairy and egg residues in food
• Detecting wheat gluten in food
• Detecting soy, fish and crustaceans in food

Part 4 - Issues in using allergen detection methods

• Allergen quality assurance for hypoallergenic formula
• Common issues in detecting allergenic residues on equipment and in processed foods
• Factors affecting the effectiveness of allergen detection
• Reference materials and method validation in allergen protection
• US regulation of undeclared foods products
• EU regulation of undeclared allergens in food products

Index

Hardback book 428 pages