The use of transglutaminase in the reduction of immunoreactivity of wheat flour

Abstract

The immune response of wheat flour modified by the treatment with transglutaminase under different conditions of temperature, incubation periods and the ratio of enzyme/wheat flour was investigated. The particular wheat protein fractions were examined for the immune reaction by the use of an indirect non-competitive ELISA. Commercially available antibodies, namely, monoclonal antihuman IgG and monoclonal antihuman IgE conjugates with alkaline phosphatase and human sera with elevated IgG as well as rabbit sera against QQQPP peptide were tested. The highest decrease in gliadins immunoreactivity was observed for wheat flour modified under following conditions: temperature 37°C, 18 h of incubation and the ratio enzyme/wheat flour 1:10 000. For all rabbit sera examined the residual immunoreactivity of glutenins was found to be below 30% of the level measured for the untreated protein. The large decrease in allergenicity of glutenins leads to the conclusion that wheat flour modified by treatment with transglutaminase may be used as a constituent of food products destined for people with a classic food allergy, i.e. the allergy elicited by that protein fraction.