An overview on fish and shellfish allergens and current methods of detection

Abstract

Food-induced allergies are considered an important problem of public health with special impact in the quality of life of the sensitised/allergic individuals. As highly consumed foods, fish and shellfish represent a valuable source of proteins for the general population. In spite of their economical and nutritional importance, these foods are known to induce hypersensitivity reactions in sensitised/allergic individuals. So far, parvalbumins (fish) and tropomyosins (crustaceans and molluscs) have been considered major allergens in seafood allergy, being responsible for most of the reported cases of adverse immunological responses. More recently, other proteins such as arginine kinases, myosin light chains, troponins and sarcoplasmic calcium-binding proteins have been regarded as relevant allergens in fish, crustaceans and molluscs. This review focuses on seafood allergens, reporting an updated and compiled list of allergens from fish, crustaceans and mollusc species, with an overview on the most representative analytical methods for their detection.