This document discusses food allergens and food allergy. It defines a food allergen as a normally harmless food protein that causes an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. The most common food allergens are listed as milk, egg, peanut, wheat, fish, soy, tree nuts. It also discusses the symptoms of food allergies, which can range from mild to severe and life-threatening. While promising research is underway, food allergies currently cannot be cured. The document provides information on diagnosing and managing food allergies.

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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