Presentation on Food Allergens

1. Name – Pradum Singh
M.Sc (Dairy Technology
Id No -22412DST001
Sub – Food Safety and Quality System (FST -507)
Department –DSFT ,BHU
FOOD
ALLERGENS

2.  An allergen is any normally harmless substance that
causes an immediate allergic reaction in a susceptible
person.
 Food allergens are almost always proteins although
other food constituents, such as certain additives, are
known to have allergenic (allergy-causing) properties.
 The most common example of food allegrens are -
Milk,Egg,Peanut,Wheat,Fish,Soyabeans,
Wheat,Treenuts etc

3. Food Allergen
Labeling and
Consumer Protection
Act (FALCPA)
2004.
This law identified
eight foods as
major food
allergens:
 On April 23,
2021, the Food
Allergy Safety,
Treatment,
Education, and
Research
(FASTER) Act was
signed into law,
declaring sesame
as the 9th major
food allergen

4.  Food allergie is caused by food allergens. Food
allergies occur when the body's immune system
reacts to certain proteins in food.
 Food allergic reactions vary in severity from mild
symptoms involving hives and lip swelling to severe,
life-threatening symptoms, often called anaphylaxis,
that may involve fatal respiratory problems and shock.
 While promising prevention and therapeutic strategies
are being developed, food allergies currently cannot
be cured.

6. symptoms of a food allergy almost always develop a few
seconds or minutes after eating the food.
 Tingling or itching in the mouth.
 Itchy red rash (urticarial) – in some cases, the skin
can turn red and itchy, but without a raised rash
 Swelling of the face, mouth (angioedema), throat or
other areas of the body.
 Difficulty swallowing.
 Wheezing or shortness of breath.
 Feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
 Feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting.
 Abdominal pain or diarrhoea.
 Hay fever-like symptoms, such as sneezing or itchy

7. The symptoms of a severe
allergic) reaction (anaphylaxis) can be sudden and
get worse very quickly.
 Increased breathing difficulties – such as wheezing
and a cough.
 A sudden and intense feeling of anxiety and fear
 A rapid heartbeat (tachycardia).
 A sharp and sudden drop in your blood pressure,
which can make you feel lightheaded and confused.
 Unconsciousness.

8.  Generally, many major food allergens are major food
proteins.
 food allergens are very stable molecules that resist
the effects of food processing, cooking, and digestive
enzymes in the gut.
 Food allergens are polyvalent molecules with at least
two or more IgE antibody binding sites.
 most food allergens are between 10 and 70 kDa and
are primarily glycoproteins with acid isoelectric points.
 High-protein foods are more allergenic as compared
to low protein foods.

10.  Different sources of food allergens contain several
allergenic molecules (components); these can be
produced as recombinant proteins or purified from
natural sources.
 These allergens can be classified into IgE -
reactive components (green), which are poor
activators of inflammatory cells and therefore
induce little or no clinical reactions.
 Components that induce mild or mainly local
symptoms (yellow); and components that often area
associated with severe and systemic allergic
reactions (red).
 Micro array technology can be used to determine
reactivity profiles of patients.

12.  Multiplex allergen systems can be used to identify
disease-relevant food allergens in populations.
 (A) Based on the mapping of antigen epitopes
recognized by patients’ IgE and Tcells, 4 molecular
approaches are being developed for prophylaxis and
treatment.
 These are as follows: recombinant wild-type allergens,
carrier-bound B-cell epitome–containing peptides
(which do not react with IgE, have reduced allergen-
specific epitopes recognized by T cells, also and induce
allergen-specific IgG.

13.  Recombinant hypo allergens (which have reduced
reactivity with IgE and fewer epitopes that interact with T
cells, and induce allergen-specific IgG), and peptide
epitopes that interact with T cells (but do not react with
IgE .
 Allergen-specific treatment can be prophylactic(prenatal
or early postnatal) or be given after sensitization .
 Active vaccination, passive immunization with allergen-
specific antibodies, and tolerance induction are options.

16.  Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 4–
6 months of life, which prevents the development of
allergies.
 Breastfeeding transfers protective SIgA to the child,
which may prevent allergic sensitization, and avoids
early exposure to potential food allergens.
 If breast feeding is not possible hypoallergenic formulas
with documented preventive effects are recommended
for high-risk children.
 There is no clear evidence that administration of
prebiotics or lipopolysaccharides can prevent the
development of allergies.

17.  Three approaches, based on modified allergens,
have been developed to make allergy vaccine more
safe, effective, and convenient.
 These allow for selective targeting of different
facets of the allergic immune response.
 They include synthetic allergen-derived peptides
that contain allergen-specific T-cell epitopes without
IgE reactivity.
 Because of their small size, peptide vaccine scan
induce T-cell tolerance without allergen-specific IgG
responses.
 These approaches are in immunotherapy trials for
patients with respiratory allergies.

18.  While most symptoms from food allergies are mild and
limited to skin or digestive discomfort, some may
progress to a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction.
 To avoid any reaction, it is important for consumers to
be aware of, and avoid, the foods that induce the
allergic reaction.
 There is still no such medicines in the market to cure
the food allergy . Infant feeding is best till date.

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 Taylor, S.L., R.F. Lemanski, R.K. Bush & W.W. Busse. 1987. Food allergens:
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