Food Allergen Testing: Molecular, Immunochemical and Chromatographic Techniques

Food allergens are a series of agents, mainly proteins, which cause various unpleasant and often clinical symptoms in humans through consumption of foods. In recent years, the fields of molecular biology and immunology have offered alternative approaches to food allergens testing. Molecular and immunochemical techniques are most widely used to detect allergenic products at trace levels, for example through screening or multiple–allergen detection (the development of methods in which several allergens or allergenic compounds can be detected simultaneously). Both techniques are useful in ensuring that food allergens are monitored and accounted for throughout the food production process. Recently, chromatographic techniques have also started to be used for food allergen testing, offering researchers a variety of novel ways to detect allergen contamination. Food Allergen Testing – Molecular, Immunochemical and Chromatographic Techniques is an in–depth review of the current scientific knowledge on food allergens, covering the major methodologies and techniques used in validated analytical approaches. Bringing together a host ofinternational experts, this book provides food scientists and technicians with a contemporary and much–needed tool to assist them in testing foods for the presence of allergens and contaminants. This book will be required reading in academic settings where courses on food technology and related fields are offered. It will also be valued by research institutions that are engaged in providing food analysis services or are carrying out innovative research on food testing techniques.

George Siragakis is Technical Director of Food Allergens Laboratory in Athens, Greece. Dimosthenis Kizis is Research Associate of Food Allergens Laboratory in Larnaca, Cyprus.