Allergen Control Research Articles

In-situ electrochemically synthesized “artificial” Gly m TI antibody for soybean allergen quantification in complex foods

Biosensors, especially those designed for detecting food allergens like Gly m TI in soybean, play a crucial role in safeguarding individuals who suffer from adverse food allergies, extending to both individual well-being and broader public health considerations. Furthermore, their integration into food production and monitoring processes aids in compliance with regulatory standards, reducing the incidence of allergen-related recalls and protecting vulnerable populations. Technological advancements in biosensor development, such as increased portability, real-time monitoring capabilities, and user-friendly interfaces, have expanded their practical applications, making them indispensable in various settings, including manufacturing plants, food service establishments, and even at-home use by consumers.For the first time, a biosensor targeting the Gly m TI allergen based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology was developed to detect/quantify soybean in complex food matrices and effectively address the detection challenges of complex and processed foods. The Gly m TI-MIP underwent a thorough validation process using anti-Gly m TI IgG raised as a polyclonal response to the trypsin inhibitor. Gly m TI-MIP was successfully tested across a range of food matrices, including tree nuts (e.g., peanuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts) and legumes (e.g., lentils, beans, and lupine), presenting minimal cross-reactivity with lupine and walnut. The innovative approach provided a linear response in the 1 ag mL−1 - 10 μg mL−1 range, with a LOD<1 ag mL−1. Applying the Gly m TI-MIP sensor to complex model foods allowed to detect 0.1 mg kg−1 (0.00001 %) of soybean protein isolate in biscuits, ham, and sausages before and after the respective thermal treatments. The innovative biosensor can significantly improve food safety protocols by addressing the complexities of tracing allergens in processed and unprocessed food products. By ensuring rigorous allergen control, these biosensors may support global food trade compliance with international safety standards, boost consumer confidence, and promote transparency in food labeling, ultimately contributing to a safer food supply chain.

Assessment tools for evaluating the efficiency of practices to control food safety performance indicators in cereal-based small-medium scale food manufacturing establishments in Bangladesh

Safe production in small-medium enterprises (SMEs)-based food processing industries is a challenge in developing countries due to limited resources and inefficient process control activities. For the development of the situations, we first need to identify the context characteristics and control activities that have an impact on the safety of the finished products. In the present study, a comprehensive target-oriented tool was designed to evaluate the efficiency of control practices with respect to contextual factors to understand the likelihood of common hazards in cereal-based small and medium factories. The identified 18 control activities, based on previous studies, were assigned to three food safety performance indicators, such as allergen contamination, pesticide residue or heavy metal contamination, and fungal contamination. The performance level of activities is a marker of whether the control practices are able to control the food safety performance indicators in cereal-based SME manufacturers. A Venn diagram is used to visually present the efficiency of control activities. Moreover, among the 18 control practices, 7 for mitigating pesticide residues or heavy metal contamination, 9 for allergen control, and 13 control practices for fungal contamination were identified. As comparatively lower control practices (water source, raw material control, testing, etc.) are involved in mitigating pesticide residues or heavy metal contamination, which proves context factors (Good Agricultural Practices, contamination-free soil, etc.) are more important to minimize the risk. We inspected the implementation of the developed tool in 44 cereal-based small-medium manufacturers in Bangladesh and calculated 59.06% efficiency in controlling fungal contamination. Most of the cereal-based SMEs in Bangladesh operate from a poor to a basic level, which is an indication of the high likelihood of occurring hazards.

Non-Thermal Processing Technologies for Allergen Control in Alternative Protein Sources for Food Industry Applications

Non-Thermal Processing Technologies for Allergen Control in Alternative Protein Sources for Food Industry Applications

Dining out with food allergies: Two decades of evidence calling for enhanced consumer protection

Food allergic reactions in restaurant settings are regularly reported, including fatalities. The risk of dining out with food allergies is well documented, and is in part attributed to insufficient regulatory oversight. The objectives of this review were to (i) present scientific evidence characterizing the risk of dining out with food allergies, (ii) describe advances in proposed management mechanisms to mitigate this risk, and (iii) outline gaps in existing practices and regulations related to food allergen management in foodservice operations. Scientific publications (n=60) and laws/regulations from different jurisdictions (n=20) related to food allergy and food allergens management in foodservice operations were systematically retrieved and reviewed. Although the inherent nature of these operations poses challenges to the implementation of allergen control measures, evidence suggests that food-allergic consumers will continue to be at risk unless more stringent regulatory requirements, particularly related to communication with diners and between staff members, are adopted.

Frequency and pattern of skin- prick aero-allergic sensitization among children with asthma in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract: Background: Among children with asthma, aero-allergen sensitisation (AS) results in poorer outcomes, necessitating allergen control. However, the spectrum of AS in childhood asthma in Nigeria is not well-known. We describe the prevalence and pattern of skin- prick AS among children with asthma seen at the paediatric al[1]lergy clinic of the Lagos State Uni[1]versity Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods/Material: Retrospective review of routinely-collected data of asthmatic children who had skin -prick test (SPT) at the Paediatric Allergy clinic, conducted with a 9- allergen-extracts kit comprising house-dust mite (HDM) [subtypes: Dermatophagoides pteronysinnus (Der p), Dermatophagoides farina (Der f ), Blomia tropicalis (Blo t)]; Cockroach, Aspergillus fumigatus, cat, dog, Alternaria alternata and grass-mix. AS was defined as wheal diameter ≥ 3 mm above sa[1]line control (0 mm), with hista[1]mine wheal ≥ 3 mm (after 15- minute observation), to at least one antigen. CC –BY 4.0 Results: Between January 2019 and May 2021, fifty-eight children (60.3% boys) aged 2-17 years [median (range; IQR)= 7.0 (2.0, 17.0; 5.0)] had SPT. AS was pre[1]sent in 86.2% (n=50/58), compris[1]ing allergy to: HDM [82.1% (n=46/56) (Der f-67.9%; Blo t: 64.3%; Der p : 51.8%]; cockroach ( 3 9 . 3 % , 2 2 / 5 6 ) ; m o u l d s (Aspergillus- 3.6%, 2/56; Alter[1]naria-1.8%, 1/55) and pet (cat- 1.8%, 1/56; dog-1.8%, 1/56). About two-thirds (65.5%, 38/58) were polysensitised but there was no cross-sensitisation between HDM and cockroach allergy [kappa (95% CI)= -0.004(-0.18, 0.17)]. Conclusions: AS, especially to HDM and cockroach, was common among asthmatic children; a previously-unreported high prevalence of Blomia tropicalis allergy was notable. HDM and cockroach control may be important in our patients.

Analysis of the results of study allergens in food in 2021

One of the biggest problems in the world is allergy, the clinical manifestations of which can be of varying degrees of severity – from dermatitis to Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock. More than 250 million people suffer from food allergies. It has been scientifically proven that more than 70 food products can cause allergies. The main allergens are products of plant and animal origin, such as nuts, cereals, fish and seafood, eggs, etc. Celiac disease is one of the manifestations of allergy or individual intolerance to cereal plants. This genetic, autoimmune disease manifests itself due to the consumption of gluten-containing products occurs with a frequency of 1:3000. According to the current Ukrainian legislation, product manufacturers are obliged to indicate on the packaging of products information about the presence of food allergens, but very often they do not do this, misleading buyers and putting people who have such a problem at risk. Considering the above, there is a need to conduct state control of food products for the presence of allergens to control manufacturers regarding the labeling of allergens. The work aims to analyze the results of real-time state control of allergens in food products by PCR. The analysis of the studies of allergens in food products showed that 25.4 % contained allergens not indicated on the product packaging. This means insufficient control by manufacturers and severely violates current legislation. According to the results of the State Allergen Control Program, undeclared allergens were found in 25.4 % of food products from the total number of tested samples: in 9.3 % of sweets, 6.9 % of bakery products, 2.3 % of beverages, 6.9 % of precise products. Considering the urgency of the problem, there is a need to develop and implement a state program for monitoring allergens in food products in order to control the requirements of the current legislation.

Sensitive ELISA and lateral flow immunoassay for the detection of walnut traces in processed food and working surfaces

Walnut represents one of the most allergenic nuts that can be found as a hidden allergen. In this study, sandwich ELISA and lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), based on the determination of Jug r 1, were developed to detect walnut. Cross-reactivity was only found with Pecan nut among a panel of 88 food ingredients tested. ELISA and LFIA could detect 0.25 and 0.5 µg/g of walnut protein in complex food matrices spiked with walnut extract, respectively. Furthermore, walnut was detected in blended (chocolate) and incurred foods (ice cream and bread) added with ground walnut at levels of 0.5 and 1.5 µg protein/g by ELISA and LFIA, respectively. LFIA could also detect 0.1 μg of walnut protein in working surfaces. ELISA displayed acceptable precision and high recovery (71–97 %) and both tests were robust. This study shows that developed ELISA and LFIA are reliable tools to be applied in allergen control programs.

The Mechanism of Drug Carryover in Feed Manufacturing as a Function of Drug Properties and Equipment Design—A Brief Review

This paper thoroughly reviews the mechanism of veterinary drug carryover in feed manufacturing facilities, factors resulting in varying concentrations of drug carryover in processing equipment, the impact of chemical and physical properties of drugs, and the effect of equipment type and design. The Google Scholar database (from 1998 to 2023) was searched with words and phrases such as drug carryover, feed manufacturing, equipment cleaning and validation, food allergen control, sources of drug carryover, and process parameters in drug carryover. Some papers were from the Iowa State University Library database and PubMed. Drug carryover is a function of ingredients, nature of drugs, equipment type, process parameters, and cleaning procedures. The gaps are the lack of commercial feed mills data on the role and interaction of nanomaterials, molasses, equipment type, and process parameters in drug carryover in animal feed. Modification of process parameters, e.g., airflow in bucket elevators and the interaction of feed ingredients, composition, equipment type, and design, need to be investigated in the commercial setting to address drug carryover. Rhetorically, can big data facilitate the standardization of cleaning procedures at feed mills? The findings can result in drug carryover prevention/control in animal feed and animal-based human food.

Logical analysis of sample pooling for qualitative analytical testing

When the prevalence of positive samples in a whole population is low, the pooling of samples to detect them has been widely used for epidemic control. However, its usefulness for applying analytical screening procedures in food safety (microbiological or allergen control), fraud detection or environmental monitoring is also evident.The expected number of tests per individual sample that is necessary to identify all ‘positives’ is a measure of the efficiency of a sample pooling strategy. Reducing this figure is key to an effective use of available resources in environmental control and food safety. This reduction becomes critical when the availability of analytical tests is limited, as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic showed.The outcome of the qualitative analytical test is binary. Therefore, the operation governing the outcome of the pooled samples is not an algebraic sum of the individual results but the logical operator ’∨’ (‘or’ in natural language). Consequently, the problem of using pooled samples to identify positive samples naturally leads to proposing a system of logical equations. Therefore, this work suggests a new strategy of sample pooling based on: i) A half-fraction of a Placket-Burman design to make the pooled samples and ii) The logical resolution, not numerical, to identify the positive samples from the outcomes of the analysis of the pooled samples.For a prevalence of ‘positive’ equal to 0.05 and 10 original samples to be pooled, the algorithm presented here results in an expected value per individual equal to 0.37, meaning a 63% reduction in the expected number of tests per individual sample.With sensitivities and specificities of the analytical test ranging from 0.90 to 0.99, the expected number of tests per individual ranges from 0.332 to 0.416, always higher than other pooled testing algorithms. In addition, the accuracy of the algorithm proposed is better or similar to that of other published algorithms, with an expected number of hits ranging from 99.16 to 99.90%.The procedure is applied to the detection of food samples contaminated with a pathogen (Listeria monocytogenes) and others contaminated with an allergen (Pistachio) by means of Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR, test.

Analytical Methods for Allergen Control in Food Processing

Food allergy and food-related anaphylaxis have become a growing public health and food safety issue worldwide [...].

Avoidance Measures for Patients with Allergic Rhinitis: A Scoping Review.

Environmental allergen control is recommended as an essential part of allergic rhinitis (AR) management guidelines. In this scoping review, our objective is to identify measures of allergen avoidance and to evaluate their effectiveness in the management of AR. We conducted systematic searches for randomized controlled trials and observational studies in PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Web of Science databases. We included all types of control measures based on allergen eviction or reduction in exposure. Overall, 18 studies satisfied our criteria and were thus included for further analysis. The majority of the studies (15 out of 18) reported decreases in overall AR symptom scores, improvements in quality of life, or reductions in medication usage. However, due to the low number of participants and the limitations in study designs, it is not possible to make a definitive recommendation on the use of these interventions in the management of AR. A multifaceted approach, including treatment, prevention, and eradication of allergens from the environment, may be necessary to effectively reduce symptoms.

Environmental influences on childhood asthma: Allergens

Allergen exposure is associated with the development of allergen-specific sensitization, but their relationship is influenced by other contemporaneous exposures (such as microbial exposure) and the genetic predisposition of the host. Clinical outcomes of the primary prevention studies that tested the effectiveness of allergen avoidance in pregnancy and early life on the subsequent development of sensitization and asthma published to date are inconsistent. Therefore, we cannot provide any evidence-based advice on the use of allergen avoidance for the primary prevention of these conditions. The evidence about the impact of allergen exposure among and among sensitized children with asthma is more consistent, and the combination of sensitization and high exposure to sensitizing allergen increases airway inflammation, triggers symptoms, adversely impacts upon disease control, and is associated with poorer lung function in preschool age. However, there are differing opinions about the role of inhalant allergen avoidance in asthma management, and recommendations differ in different guidelines. Evidence from more recent high-quality trials suggests that mite allergen-impermeable bed encasings reduce hospital attendance with asthma attacks and that multifaceted targeted environmental control improves asthma control in children. We therefore suggest a pragmatic approach to allergen avoidance in the management of childhood asthma for clinical practice, including the recommendations to: (1) tailor the intervention to the patient's sensitization and exposure status by using titer of allergen-specific IgE antibodies and/or the size of the skin test as indicators of potential response; (2) use a multifaceted allergen control regime to reduce exposure as much as possible; and (3) start intervention as early as possible upon diagnosis.

Quantitative Real-Time PCR for the Detection of Allergenic Species in Foods.

Food allergy is an increasing challenge to public health, with widespread global distribution. With no cure for this pathology, the food-allergic individuals are forced to adopt food eviction measurements, relying on label information to avoid consuming the offending foods. To safeguard these individuals, the analytical methods based on real-time PCR approaches are currently faced as excellent tools to verify labeling compliance, aiding industry and regulatory agencies to efficiently manage food allergen control programs. Therefore, this chapter intends to describe a protocol of real-time PCR to analyze allergenic food species. For method development, the main steps to be considered are (i) in silico sequence analysis and primer/hydrolysis probe design, (ii) preparation of calibrators (model foods containing the allergenic ingredient), (iii) efficient DNA extraction from complex food matrices, (iv) amplification by real-time PCR with hydrolysis probe (90-200bp) targeting a highly specific DNA region (allergen-encoding gene), (v) sequencing PCR products for identity confirmation, and (vi) validation and application to commercial foods. Herein, a real-time PCR approach for the detection and quantification of cashew nut as an allergenic food is described as an example protocol, including all the steps for method development and validation.

Food allergen control at meat processing enterprise: scientific rationale and preliminary hazard analysis

From a public health point of view, the control of food allergens in enterprises is one of the main methods of food safety management required by national and international standards. The implementation results of measures for allergen control and identification of noncompliance are presented using the developed checklist, which includes 41 questions. The survey was conducted at meat processing plant in the Moscow region, which is certified for compliance with the requirements of ISO 22000:2018 “Food safety management systems — Requirements for any organization in the food chain” and FSSC22000 certification scheme. Compliance with the criteria included in the checklist was assessed by the method of interviewing employees at the enterprise and direct onsite observation. The highest level of noncompliance according to 7 groups of criteria established in the checklist was identified in the following sections; “Cleaning”, “Transport and storage” and “Hazard awareness”. Factors complicating the implementation of allergen control activities include available methods to assess cleaning effectiveness when removing specific allergens, experience in separating allergen-containing and allergen-free products and raw materials during transport and storage, and staff training in allergen control. At the same time, the PCR method was used to study 15 samples of meat products manufactured at the selected enterprise for the presence of legumes (soybeans), gluten, mustard, and peanuts. In six samples, undeclared allergens were detected in quantities hazardous to the health of the consumer. The results obtained indicated the need to develop and implement measures aimed at minimizing the risk of allergen transfer to the meat products during their production. Based on the results of the research, a procedure for allergen control has been developed, including additional measures for the control of food allergens.

Food allergen control: Tropomyosin analysis through electrochemical immunosensing

Regulations of the EU obliges the indication of the presence of allergens on food labels. This work reports the development of an electrochemical immunosensor to determine tropomyosin (TPM) – a major shellfish allergen – prevailing in the muscles of crustacean species. Two linear ranges between the signal and TPM concentration were obtained: between 2.5 and 20 ng mL−1 and between 30 and 200 ng mL−1, with a lowest limit of detection of 0.47 ng mL−1. The selectivity of the optimized immunoassay, tested with other food allergens (e.g., Cyp c 1, a fish allergen), assures the effective detection of TPM, enabling successful control of foodstuff labelling. Several (12) foods, containing high and low TPM concentrations and TPM-free samples, were analysed using the sensor. A conventional ELISA kit and recovery assays were used to evaluate the accuracy of the results.

Leading edge development of food safety

Food safety in China has been significantly improved since the melamine crisis in 2008 and the promulgation of the first Food Safety Law in 2009. However, food safety is a long standing issue in China due to the backward productive structure of agriculture and food business. In order to further improve the food safety in China, it is critical to reach a consensus on the leading edge concept of food safety and the identification of priority areas based on the concept. The leading edge concept of food safety aims to prevent potential issues and deal with current issues based on the risk, i.e. risk-based approach, as opposed to the concept based on the hazard, i.e. hazard-based approach. Practice is to determine the key problems that need to be solved first according to the concept. This paper expounds the different food safety management strategies and measures caused by the two concepts, and lists several key food safety problems (importance and solutions) determined according to the concept of "risk-based". These examples include foodborne diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms, antimicrobial resistance, food allergen control, risk assessment of multiple chemical hazards exposure and alternative methods in food toxicology.

Allergen cross-contact control plan supporting the implementation of food allergen management (FAM) in small food businesses

Allergen cross-contamination is a significant area of food allergen management (FAM) caused by the presence of unintended allergens in food products. In this study, a list of allergen transmission vectors (ATVs) and allergen cross-contact (ACC) control measures were identified, and their prevalence was determined in 36 small food businesses (SFBs). Based on the data and using a T-shaped matrix diagram (T-SMD), a concise ACC control plan was developed and assessed. The utility of the plan, expressed as the Document Usability Index (DUI), was determined and weighted taxation scores for the criteria of DUI ranged from 0.2 to 2.7, while the relative value of DUI was 0.66. Thus, as a user-friendly document, the plan was implemented in four SFBs and operated for nine months. To assess the performance of the ACC control plan, three indicators were established, including the number of complaints concerning food allergens, the number of ACC control measures used, and the number of non-compliances identified during internal audits focused on ACC control. During the trial period, complaints appeared only once in two SFBs. Before the plan was applied, the number of ACC control measures used was 6–10, while after the application of the T-SMD control plan, the number ranged from 14 to 17. In all SFBS, a decreasing tendency in the number of non-compliances was observed, and the relative number of non-compliances during three-quarters of the control plan operation reached 0.4–0.55, 0.36–0.4 and 0.09–0.2, respectively. The results of this work showed the effectiveness of the ACC control plan in the form of T-SMD to control unintentionally added allergens affecting food safety. The results of the study may be very useful for SFBs in the context of recommendations related to allergen control included in the new version of General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1–1969, 2020) as well as in the context of amendments to the Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs (EC, 2021).

Glycation end products and technological aspects of reducing immunogenicity of specialized food products for nutrition of athletes

Food allergy, which affects about 8% of children and 5% of adults in the world, is one of the major global health problems, and allergen control is an important aspect of food safety. According to the FALCPA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 FDA), more than 160 foods can cause allergic reactions, with eight of them responsible for 90% of all food allergies in the United States, including milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, crustaceans and fish, also known as the Big 8. Most foods that are sources of obligate allergens are heat treated before consumption, which can trigger the Maillard reaction, which produces glycation end products. Symptoms of food sensitization are known to significantly affect the quality of life, gut microbial diversity and adaptation potential. In particular, in athletes, this can be expressed in a decrease in the effectiveness of the training process, which leads to poor endurance and athletic performance. In this regard, it seems relevant to study the effect of the Maillard reaction and AGEs on the immunogenicity of proteins and the possible relationship between these compounds and food allergy, as well as to develop measures to prevent the adverse effect of allergens on the body of a professional athlete and any other consumer.

Development of sandwich ELISA and lateral flow immunoassay to detect almond in processed food

Almond (Prunus dulcis) represents a potential allergenic hazard that should be included in Allergen Control Plans. In this study, sandwich ELISA and lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), using amandin (Pru du 6) as the target protein, were developed to detect almond in processed food and validated according to international guides. ELISA could detect 2 ng/mL and LFIA 30 ng/mL of pure amandin. No cross-reactivity was found on a panel of 50 food commodities with the exception of Pecan nut, Brazil nut and chestnut for which the cross-reactivity was lower than 0.02%. Furthermore, ELISA and LFIA were able to detect 0.12 and 0.70 ppm of almond protein in foods spiked with almond extract whereas 0.20 and 2.0 ppm could be detected in baked cookies incurred with almond, respectively. Both techniques could be applied for food manufacturers and control agencies for monitoring the presence of almond traces in food and working surfaces.

Raw materials for the production of gluten-free products investigation

The food allergy and allergen control are important for global health concerns. Latent allergens are a paramount problem in the specialized food products. Cross-contact and post-cleaning contamination are the main sources of these problems. According to the norms of the Technical Regulation Custom Union N 027/2012 and the Codex Stan 118-79 standard, the gluten content in food products should not exceed 20 mg / kg of the product. The purpose of this study was to analyze raw materials for the gluten-free food products manufacture to justify the HACCP system implementation. The samples of gluten-free flours were selected as research objects to assess the cleanliness of storage, transportation and production facilities in factories producing gluten-free products. In this study, we analyzed the samples of gluten-free flours to assess the cleanliness of storage conditions, transportation and industrial premises in gluten-free factories. The results showed that when using raw materials stored under improper conditions an increase in the gluten content in the final product is observed. We concluded that the gluten-free flours storage conditions in a room with gluten-containing raw materials are unacceptable, because the final product will have high gluten content. Thus, this product cannot be marketed as gluten-free. In addition, we analyzed the washes from the equipment after baking cookies from these flours. We found that in order to comply with regulations, it was necessary to conduct 3 consecutive washing