One-step multiplex PCR method for the determination of pecan and Brazil nut allergens in food products

BACKGROUND: A one‐step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the simultaneous detection of the major allergens of pecan and Brazil nuts was developed. Primer pairs for the amplification of partial sequences of genes encoding the allergens were designed and tested for their specificity on a range of food components. RESULTS: The targeted amplicon size was 173 bp of Ber e 1 gene of Brazil nuts and 72 bp of vicilin‐like seed storage protein gene in pecan nuts. The primer pair detecting the noncoding region of the chloroplast DNA was used as the internal control of amplification. The intrinsic detection limit of the PCR method was 100 pg mL^?1 pecan or Brazil nuts DNA. The practical detection limit was 0.1% w/w (1 g kg^?1). The method was applied for the investigation of 63 samples with the declaration of pecans, Brazil nuts, other different nut species or nuts generally. In 15 food samples pecans and Brazil nuts allergens were identified in the conformity with the food declaration. CONCLUSION: The presented multiplex PCR method is specific enough and can be used as a fast approach for the detection of major allergens of pecan or Brazil nuts in food. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of Processing on the Detectability of Pecan Proteins Assessed by Immunological and Proteomic Tools

The present study evaluates the effect of food processing on the antigenicity of pecan proteins as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, proteomic tools were used to identify potential pecan markers suitable for confirming the presence of pecan proteins in food and validating new methods developed to detect traces of the commodity. To assess the effects of processing on protein stability and antigenicity, pecan nuts were submitted to heat treatments and extracts were analysed by ELISA, sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot. The ELISA method was able to detect pecan traces even after submitting the commodity to rigorous treatments, though these treatments affected the detectability to varying degrees. Proteomic assessment showed that the majority of pecan proteins were matched by homology to walnut proteins, which are more abundantly populated in the protein sequence databases. However, there were a few important exceptions: 7S vicilin, 11S legumin and putative allergen I1, unambiguously identified as pecan in origin. Interestingly, putative allergen I1 offered unique analytical advantages to be used as a pecan marker for validation and confirmation purposes.     

Almond allergens: update and perspective on identification and characterization

Almond (Prunus dulcis) is not only widely used as a human food as a result of its flavor, nutrients, and health benefits, but it is also one of the most likely tree nuts to trigger allergies. Almond allergens, however, have not been studied as extensively as those of peanuts and other selected tree nuts. This review provides an update of the molecular properties of almond allergens to clarify some confusion about the identities of almond allergens and our perspective on characterizing putative almond allergens. At present, the following almond allergens have been designated by the World Health Organization/International Union of Immunological Societies Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee: Pru du 3 (a non-specific lipid transfer protein 1, nsLTP1), Pru du 4 (a profilin), Pru du 5 (60S acidic ribosomal protein 2), Pru du 6 (an 11S legumin known as prunin) and Pru du 8 (an antimicrobial protein with cC3C repeats). Besides, almond vicilin and almond γ-conglutin have been identified as food allergens, although further characterization of these allergens is still of interest. In addition, almond 2S albumin was reported as a food allergen as a result of the misidentification of Pru du 8. Two more almond proteins have been called allergens based on their sequence homology with known food allergens and their ‘membership’ in relevant protein families that contain allergens in many species. These include the pathogenesis related-10 protein (referred to as Pru du 1) and the thaumatin-like protein (referred to as Pru du 2). Almonds thus have five known food allergens and five more likely ones that need to be investigated further. Published 2020. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Detection of hazelnut proteins in foods by enzyme immunoassay using egg yolk antibodies

An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was developed for the detection of hazelnut proteins in foods. This assay used inexpensive chicken egg yolk antibodies in a sandwich EIA format for the immunospecific capture and detection of hazelnut proteins present in a variety of different food matrices. The assay was able to detect less than 1 ppm of hazelnut protein in most of the foods tested and did not exhibit any appreciable cross-reactivity with other nuts or food matrices. This assay will be a useful tool for the food industry and regulatory agencies that wish to test foods for the presence of undeclared hazelnut allergens.     

低致敏食品制备技术及其工业化应用研究进展

食物过敏是联合国粮农组织和世界卫生组织认定的全球性食品安全问题之一。在食品加工多元化的背景下,食物过敏患者要完全避免过敏原十分困难,研发低致敏食品对食物过敏患者的安全膳食至关重要。总结了低致敏食品制备技术的加工技术原理;以蒸煮、微波和烘烤为主的热加工技术通过加热诱导蛋白质变性的方式破坏致敏性构象性表位;高压、脉冲电场、脉冲光、低温等离子体、辐照和超声等非热加工技术可以通过过敏原蛋白结构修饰、多肽链断裂、新化学键的产生等方式直接破坏致敏性表位;酶水解、酶交联、糖基化、微生物发酵等其他加工方法则通过改变蛋白质构象或将蛋白质与糖类物质结合,破坏或隐藏过敏原致敏性表位。另外,对工业化低致敏蛋白配料的加工方法和生产现状进行了阐述分析。基于酶法水解的部分水解乳蛋白和深度水解乳蛋白已经可以工业化生产,其他消减食物致敏性的方法以及其他低致敏蛋白配料值得进一步研究。希望可以为工业化生产低致敏食品提供参考。     

花生交叉过敏反应的研究进展

花生过敏严重影响了过敏人群的生活质量,而在过敏反应中花生的交叉过敏现象非常普遍。本文综述了花生过敏的物质基础、交叉过敏的机理及花生相关的交叉过敏反应研究情况,为花生过敏的进一步研究提供参考。     

Whey allergens: Influence of nonthermal processing treatments and their detection methods

Whey and its components are recognized as value-added ingredients in infant formulas, beverages, sports nutritious foods, and other food products. Whey offers opportunities for the food industrial sector to develop functional foods with potential health benefits due to its unique physiological and functional attributes. Despite all the above importance, the consumption of whey protein (WP) can trigger hypersensitive reactions and is a constant threat for sensitive individuals. Although avoiding such food products is the most successful approach, there is still a chance of incorrect labeling and cross-contamination during food processing. As whey allergens in food products are cross-reactive, the phenomenon of homologous milk proteins of various species may escalate to a more serious problem. In this review, nonthermal processing technologies used to prevent and eliminate WP allergies are presented and discussed in detail. These processing technologies can either enhance or mitigate the impact of potential allergenicity. Therefore, the development of highly precise analytical technologies to detect and quantify the existence of whey allergens is of considerable importance. The present review is an attempt to cover all the updated approaches used for the detection of whey allergens in processed food products. Immunological and DNA-based assays are generally used for detecting allergenic proteins in processed food products. In addition, mass spectrometry is also employed as a preliminary technique for detection. We also highlighted the latest improvements in allergen detection toward biosensing strategies particularly immunosensors and aptasensors.     

牛乳蛋白过敏原改性的研究

对牛乳中的主要过敏原酪蛋白、β-乳球蛋白（β-LG）及α-乳白蛋白（α-LA）进行了介绍。重点论述了热处理、蛋白水解、糖基化作用和乳酸发酵等技术对乳蛋白过敏改性的研究现状，提出了牛乳中过敏蛋白原改性的研究方向。     

Pecan nuts: A review of reported bioactivities and health effects

BackgroundFood choices represent a highly significant approach to combat human obesity. Dietary intake of lipids, especially polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, is gaining popularity in the effort to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of obesity. Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) nuts are an abundant source of these dietary fatty acids. Moreover, they are a rich source of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol with a variety of health-beneficial properties.Scope and approachIn this review, we summarize the literature reports examining physiological effects associated with pecan nuts consumption and described effects of their bioactive constituents.Key findings and conclusionsThe growing body of evidence suggests including pecan nuts into obesity management strategies. The consumption of pecan nuts can mitigate inflammation by reducing the extent of the synthesis of inflammatory mediator molecules. Pecan nuts can also counteract the pro-inflammatory effects of a diet rich in commonly overconsumed saturated fatty acids, characteristic of the Western diet. Additionally, consumption of pecans and other nuts has been linked to reduced risk of physiological parameters associated with cardiovascular disease or metabolic disorders. Diets enriched with tree nuts and peanuts can modulate the blood level of cholesterol, adiposity, and insulin resistance. Almonds and walnuts have been so far the most studied nuts, and studies with them have led to a greater understanding of the protective effects of diverse tree nuts on human physiology. In this review, we summarize the available data indicating that pecan nuts exert similar health-promoting benefits.     

Bovine Milk Allergens: A Comprehensive Review

Cow milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in early childhood and often persists through adult life, forcing an individual to a complete elimination diet. Milk proteins are present in uncounted food products, such as cheese, yogurt, or bakery item, exposing allergic persons to a constant threat. Many efforts have been made to overcome this global problem and to improve the life quality of allergic individuals. First, proper and reliable food labeling is fundamental for consumers, but the verification of its compliance is also needed, which should rely on accurate and sensitive analytical methods to detect milk allergens in processed foods. At the same time, strategies to reduce milk allergenicity, such as immunotherapy or the use of food processing techniques to modify allergen structure, have to be extensively studied. Recent research findings on the applicability of food processing, such as heat treatment, fermentation, or high pressure, have revealed great potential in reducing milk allergenicity. In this review, significant research advances on cow milk allergy are explored, focusing on prevalence, diagnosis, and therapy. Molecular characterization of cow milk allergens and cross‐reactivity with other nonbovine milk species are described, as well as the effects of processing, food matrix, and digestibility on milk allergenicity. Additionally, analytical methods for the detection of milk allergens in food are described, from immunoassays and mass spectrometry methods for protein analysis to real‐time polymerase chain reaction for DNA analysis.     

Allergenicity of peanut allergens and its dependence on the structure

Food allergies are a global food safety problem. Peanut allergies are common due, in part, to their popular utilization in the food industry. Peanut allergy is typically an immunoglobulin E-mediated reaction, and peanuts contain 17 allergens belonging to different families in peanut. In this review, we first introduce the mechanisms and management of peanut allergy, followed by the basic structures of associated allergens. Subsequently, we summarize methods of epitope localization for peanut allergens. These methods can be instrumental in speeding up the discovery of allergenicity-dependent structures. Many attempts have been made to decrease the allergenicity of peanuts. The structures of hypoallergens, which are manufactured during processing, were analyzed to strengthen the desensitization process and allergen immunotherapy. The identification of conformational epitopes is the bottleneck in both peanut and food allergies. Further, the identification and modification of such epitopes will lead to improved strategies for managing and preventing peanut allergy. Combining traditional wet chemistry research with structure simulation studies will help in the epitopes’ localization.     

环介导等温扩增技术检测花生过敏原

花生引起的过敏已经越来越受到重视,因此对花生过敏原进行检测也变得越来越重要。目前对花生过敏原的检测大多数采用抗原抗体法或PCR方法,抗原抗体法耗时比较长,而PCR方法需要昂贵的仪器设备。本项目通过建立环介导等温扩增快速检测技术来检测食物中花生过敏原的基因,为食品中花生过敏原成分检测提供方便。该方法快速,简便,灵敏度高,可以很好的应用到现实检测中去,这个方法的建立具有很重大的意义,为食品的安全检测提供了很大的方便。     

In vitro digestion and characterisation of 2S albumin and digestion‐resistant peptides in pecan

The 2S albumins are one of the major protein families involved in severe food allergic reactions to nuts, seeds and legumes, thus potentially making these proteins clinically relevant for allergic sensitisation and potential diagnostic markers. In this study, we sought to purify native 2S albumin protein from pecan to further characterise this putative allergen. The purified 2S albumin, Car i 1, from pecan was found to be resistant to digestion by pepsin in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and comparatively stable to proteolysis by trypsin and pancreatin in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). Digestion of purified Car i 1 in SGF and SIF resulted in formation of different digestion‐resistant peptides that were capable of binding IgE antibodies from allergic individuals. Digestion stability of Car i 1 and formation of digestion‐resistant antigenic peptides may explain why it is a potent sensitising protein in pecan for susceptible individuals. The observation that digestion‐resistant peptides are able to bind IgE implies that pecan can trigger systemic allergic reactions even after digestion in the stomach and small intestine.     

Hazelnut Allergens: Molecular Characterization,Detection, and Clinical Relevance

In last few years, special attention has been given to food-induced allergies, in which hazelnut allergy is highlighted. Hazelnut is one of the most commonly consumed tree nuts, being largely used by the food industry in a variety of processed foods. It has been regarded as a food with potential health benefits, but also as a source of allergens capable of inducing mild to severe allergic reactions in sensitized individuals. Considering the great number of reports addressing hazelnut allergens, with an estimated increasing trend, this review intends to assemble all the relevant information available so far on the following main issues: prevalence of tree nut allergy, clinical threshold levels, molecular characterization of hazelnut allergens (Cor a 1, Cor a 2, Cor a 8, Cor a 9, Cor a 10, Cor a 11, Cor a 12, Cor a 14, and Cor a TLP) and their clinical relevance, and methodologies for detection of hazelnut allergens in foods. A comprehensive overview of the current data about the molecular characterization of hazelnut allergens is presented, relating to biochemical classification and biological function with clinical importance. Recent advances in hazelnut allergen detection methodologies are summarized and compared, including all the novel protein-based and DNA-based approaches.     

A novel real-time polymerase chain reaction method for the detection of pecan nuts in food

A real-time PCR-based method for the detection of the pecan (Carya illinoiensis) component in food is described. The method consists of DNA isolation by chaotropic solid phase extraction and the subsequent PCR with pecan-specific primers and a TaqMan fluorescent probe. The primers and the probe are targeted to the putative gene for allergenic vicilin-like seed storage protein of pecan. The method was positive for 10 pecan varieties and negative for all other tested plant materials used in food industry, including walnut. The intrinsic detection limit of the method was 1 pg pecan DNA which corresponds to 1.2 haploid genome copies. Using a series of model pastry samples with defined pecan contents, a practical detection limit of 0.01% (w/w) pecan was estimated. Practical applicability of the PCR method was tested by the analysis of 13 food samples; no discrepancies between the declared and detected pecan contents were found. The presented PCR method is useful for sensitive and selective detection of pecans in food samples and can be performed in one working day.     

Why are some proteins allergenic? Implications for biotechnology

In recent years, a number of agricultural crops have been developed with recombinant DNA technology. Because the transferred genes code for proteins that are ordinarily not present in these particular foods, there is concern about the potential allergenicity of these new crop varieties. Foods contain many proteins; however, only a small fraction are allergens. Although the structural properties of proteins that cause allergic reactions have not been characterized completely, known food allergens in general have molecular weights between 10 and 70 kDa, stimulate the immune response (induce the production of allergen‐specific IgE), and are stable molecules that are resistant to processing, cooking, and digestion. Although any type of food is potentially allergenic, the majority of food allergies are caused by a small group of foods (cows’ milk, nuts, legumes, eggs, seafood). Cross‐reactivities occur within a given food group and between foods and seemingly unrelated proteins.

Even though most transgenic foods are considered safe, biotechnological manipulation can affect crop allergenicity. The safety evaluation of transgenic foods is relatively easy when the allergenicity of the gene sources are known. The recombinant food can be assayed using traditional in vitro inhibition assays. Recently, reduced allergen content of biotechnologically altered rice was shown. In contrast, increased allergenicity was demonstrated in transgenic soybeans after a methionine‐ and cystine‐rich protein from Brazil nuts, identified as a major Brazil nut allergen, was expressed in soybean to increase its content of sulfur‐rich amino acids. The most difficult issue regarding transgenic food allergenicity is the effect of transfer of proteins of unknown allergenicity. The challenge is to determine whether these proteins are allergenic as there is no generally accepted, established, definitive procedure to define or predict a protein's allergenicity. Comparing the structures of the transferred protein with known allergens and allergen epitopes could be one approach. Additionally, Th‐2 cell stimulation, the production of IL‐4, and IgE antibody induction in animal models may help to evaluate the potential allergenicity of a protein.

In conclusion, there is no evidence that recombinant proteins in newly developed foods are more allergenic than traditional proteins. The evidence suggests that the vast majority of these proteins will be completely safe for the consumer. The concern is that if a few transgenic foods cause serious allergic reactions, this could undermine the public's confidence in such products. It is essential that proper guidelines are established and tests are developed to assure that this will not occur.     

食物过敏原重组蛋白的研究进展

食物过敏原蛋白单一组分的品质是制约食物过敏研究的关键因素之一。通过大肠杆菌、酵母表达系统生产出的过敏原重组蛋白,具有产量高、纯度高、均一性好等优点,已在过敏原蛋白标准物质的制备、食物过敏原的检测、低致敏性蛋白的生产以及其他基础研究等方面得到了具体的应用。食物过敏原重组蛋白作为天然过敏原提取物的替代物显示了巨大的发展潜力。总之,DNA重组技术是制备高品质过敏原蛋白的一条崭新途径。     

Milk allergens, their characteristics and their detection in food: A review

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common food allergies in childhood. This allergy is normally outgrown in the first year of life, however 15% of allergic children remain allergic. Many studies have been carried out to define and characterise the allergens involved in CMA and described two major allergens: casein (αs1-CN) and β-lactoglobulin. In addition to this, many other milk proteins are antigenic and capable of inducing immune responses. Milk from sheep or goats differs from cow's milk (CM) in terms of composition and allergenic properties. Food processing such as heating affects the stability, structure and intermolecular interactions of CM proteins, thereby changing the allergenic capacity. Chemical and proteolytic treatments of milk to obtain milk hydrolysates have been developed to reduce allergic reactions. Prevention of CMA largely relies on avoidance of all food products containing cow's milk. To achieve this, interest has focused on the development of various technologies for detecting and measuring the presence of milk allergens in food products by immunoassays or proteomic approaches. This review describes the technologies implemented for the analysis of milk allergens (allergenicity, biochemistry) as well as their potential detection in food matrices.     

INSECT PROBLEMS OF PECAN SHELLING PLANTS AND THEIR RELATION TO INSECTS AND INSECT PARTS IN PROCESSED PECANS

SUMMARY– Factory studies were conducted to determine the incidence of various types of insect contaminants in inshell and shelled pecans and their significance as related to processing methods. Pecans may become infested in the field with primary and/or secondary insect pests and in the shelling plant by storage insects. Analytical results showed raw stock sorting by air separation to be ineffective for removing insect-infested inshell nuts. Insects and their fragments are present in cracked infested nuts and are largely removed by subsequent air separation procedures. During processing , Curculio caryae larvae are concentrated in the midget and small pecan pieces. Hand sorting under UV light was shown to be superior to other procedures for removal of curculio larvae from the finished product. Finished shelled pecan products contained relatively few insect fragments.     

Processing effects on tree nut allergens: A review

“Tree nut” is a broad term for classification of nuts that include cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. Reports of mild to adverse immune reactions following the consumption of these nuts has been on a rise in recent years. Currently, about 1.2–2% of the world's population suffer from sensitivity to tree nuts. The only solution is complete abstinence from the allergy causing tree nut which is not feasible in most cases due to issues like cross contamination or their presence in the form of hidden ingredients in processed foods. Various studies have shown that food processing can effectively vary the secondary structures of the allergenic protein which in turn influences their functional properties. But, the impact of these processing methods on tree nuts allergens is mixed. This review gives an update on the recent findings on how conventional and novel processing methods influence the tree nut allergens.