Detecting Allergens in Food

Annotation Allergens pose a serious risk to consumers, making effective detection methods a priority for the food industry. Bringing together key experts in the field, this important collection both reviews the range of analytical techniques available and their use to detect specific allergens such as nuts, dairy and wheat products. The first part of the book discusses established methods of detection such as the use of antibodies and ELISA techniques. Part 2 reviews techniques for particular allergens, the final parts of the book explore how detection methods can be most effectively applied. 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 lgE antibody-based analysis of food; Immunoblotting in allergen detection; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for detecting allergens in foods; 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 immunoassay; 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 detection; US regulation of undeclared allergens in food products; EU regulation of undeclared allergens in food products.