Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages

Food allergies can be defined as immunologically mediated hypersensitivity reactions; therefore, a food allergy is also known as food hypersensitivity. The reactions are caused by the immune system response to some food proteins. The eight most common food allergens are proteins from milk, eggs, pea...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fernanda Cosme, Ana Barros
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Zagreb Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology 2013-01-01
Series:Food Technology and Biotechnology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/153904
_version_ 1797426522471006208
author Fernanda Cosme
Ana Barros
author_facet Fernanda Cosme
Ana Barros
author_sort Fernanda Cosme
collection DOAJ
description Food allergies can be defined as immunologically mediated hypersensitivity reactions; therefore, a food allergy is also known as food hypersensitivity. The reactions are caused by the immune system response to some food proteins. The eight most common food allergens are proteins from milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, wheat, fish and shellfish. However, many other foods have been identified as allergens for some people, such as certain fruits or vegetables and seeds. It is now recognized that food allergens are an important food safety issue. A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to otherwise harmless substances in certain foods. For these reasons, one of the requirements from the European Union is that allergenic food ingredients should be labelled in order to protect allergic consumers. According to the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations, about 8 % of children and 4 % of adults suffer from some type of food allergy. Food allergies often develop during infant or early childhood ages, affecting mainly the gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestines). In some cases, the allergy may persist in adult age, for example, coeliac disease, which is an abnormal immune response to certain proteins present in gluten, a type of protein composite found in wheat and barley. Almost all allergens are proteins, and highly sensitive analytical methods have been developed to detect traces of these compounds in food, such as electrophoretic and immunological methods, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purpose of this review is to describe the allergenic components of the most common causes of food allergies, followed by a brief discussion regarding their importance in the food industry and for consumer safety. The most important methods used to detect allergenicity in food will also be discussed.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T08:31:27Z
format Article
id doaj.art-15154a044f6b45148a63bcfb94927715
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1330-9862
1334-2606
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T08:31:27Z
publishDate 2013-01-01
publisher University of Zagreb Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology
record_format Article
series Food Technology and Biotechnology
spelling doaj.art-15154a044f6b45148a63bcfb949277152023-12-02T19:36:13ZengUniversity of Zagreb Faculty of Food Technology and BiotechnologyFood Technology and Biotechnology1330-98621334-26062013-01-01512153158Allergenic Proteins in Foods and BeveragesFernanda Cosme0Ana Barros1IBB/CGB-UTAD–Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Genomics and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, P.O. Box 1013, PT-5001-801 Vila Real, PortugalCITAB–Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, Chemistry Department, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, PT-5001-801 Vila Real, PortugalFood allergies can be defined as immunologically mediated hypersensitivity reactions; therefore, a food allergy is also known as food hypersensitivity. The reactions are caused by the immune system response to some food proteins. The eight most common food allergens are proteins from milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, wheat, fish and shellfish. However, many other foods have been identified as allergens for some people, such as certain fruits or vegetables and seeds. It is now recognized that food allergens are an important food safety issue. A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to otherwise harmless substances in certain foods. For these reasons, one of the requirements from the European Union is that allergenic food ingredients should be labelled in order to protect allergic consumers. According to the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations, about 8 % of children and 4 % of adults suffer from some type of food allergy. Food allergies often develop during infant or early childhood ages, affecting mainly the gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestines). In some cases, the allergy may persist in adult age, for example, coeliac disease, which is an abnormal immune response to certain proteins present in gluten, a type of protein composite found in wheat and barley. Almost all allergens are proteins, and highly sensitive analytical methods have been developed to detect traces of these compounds in food, such as electrophoretic and immunological methods, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purpose of this review is to describe the allergenic components of the most common causes of food allergies, followed by a brief discussion regarding their importance in the food industry and for consumer safety. The most important methods used to detect allergenicity in food will also be discussed.http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/153904food allergyallergen identificationfood proteins
spellingShingle Fernanda Cosme
Ana Barros
Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages
Food Technology and Biotechnology
food allergy
allergen identification
food proteins
title Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages
title_full Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages
title_fullStr Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages
title_full_unstemmed Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages
title_short Allergenic Proteins in Foods and Beverages
title_sort allergenic proteins in foods and beverages
topic food allergy
allergen identification
food proteins
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/153904
work_keys_str_mv AT fernandacosme allergenicproteinsinfoodsandbeverages
AT anabarros allergenicproteinsinfoodsandbeverages