Allergic Reactions to Food Proteins

2011 ◽  
Vol 81 (23) ◽  
pp. 173-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara K. Ballmer-Weber

Four to eight percent of the population are estimated to be food-allergic. Most food allergies in adolescents and adults are acquired on the basis of cross-reaction to pollen allergens. Theses allergens are ubiquitous in the plant kingdom. Therefore pollen-allergic patients might acquire a multitude of different plant food allergies, and even react to novel foods to which they have never previously been exposed. A curative therapy for food allergy does not yet exist. Food-allergic patients have to rely on strict avoidance diets, The widespread use of industrially processed foods poses a general problem for food-allergic patients. Although the most frequent allergens must be declared openly in the list of ingredients, involuntary contamination with allergy-provoking compounds can occur. The precautionary labelling “may contain” is sometimes applied even if the chance of contamination is very low; on the other hand, foods not declared to contain possible traces of allergenic components may actually contain relevant amounts of allergenic proteins. Switzerland is the only country in Europe with legal regulations on contamination by allergenic food; however, the allowance of 1 g/kg is too high to protect a relevant proportion of food-allergic individuals.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kento Goto ◽  
Norimasa Tamehiro ◽  
Takumi Yoshida ◽  
Hiroyuki Hanada ◽  
Takuto Sakuma ◽  
...  

Cutting-edge technologies such as genome editing and synthetic biology allow us to produce novel foods and functional proteins. However, their toxicity and allergenicity must be accurately evaluated. Allergic reactions are caused by specific amino-acid sequences in proteins (Allergen Specific Patterns, ASPs), of which, many remain undiscovered. In this study, we introduce a data-driven approach and a machine-learning (ML) method to find undiscovered ASPs. The proposed method enables an exhaustive search for amino-acid subsequences whose frequencies are statistically significantly higher in allergenic proteins. As a proof-of-concept (PoC), we created a database containing 21,154 proteins of which the presence or absence of allergic reactions are already known, and the proposed method was applied to the database. The detected ASPs in the PoC study were consistent with known biological findings, and the allergenicity prediction accuracy using the detected ASPs was higher than extant approaches.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8709
Author(s):  
Massimo Lucarini ◽  
Andrea Copetta ◽  
Alessandra Durazzo ◽  
Paolo Gabrielli ◽  
Ginevra Lombardi-Boccia ◽  
...  

This perspective study addresses the main causes of adverse reactions to foods in humans, by taking into account the main allergic reactions that may occur as a result of food ingestion, as well the main allergens present in food and how their allergenicity change as a result of food preparation. In addition, European legislation on food labeling and novel foods was taken into account. The case study of this perspective is on the potential allergenicity of edible flowers as well as evidence of phytochemistry and toxic compounds and the risk associated with their ingestion. Regarding edible flowers, a key issue to address is if they are safe to consume or not. In the framework of the project “Innovative activities for the development of the cross-border supply chain of the edible flower” (ANTEA), we considered 62 different species and varieties of edible flowers. The results obtained by consulting two databases on allergens, COMPRISE and Allergen Nomenclature, marked two alerts for two species of edible flowers selected in the project. Moreover, based on edible flower consumption, about ten grams per serving, and on their protein content, we can also state that the risk of allergic reactions due to edible flower ingestion is very low.


Author(s):  
Jessica L Johnson ◽  
Ashley Hawthorne ◽  
Michael Bounds ◽  
David J Weldon

Abstract Purpose Propofol is an intravenous sedative used in many patient populations and care settings. Although generally considered safe and effective, the drug has historically been avoided in patients with reported allergies to egg, soy, and/or peanut on the basis of the manufacturer’s prescribing information. Concerns exist for potential adverse events, increased medication costs, reduced efficacy, and risk of medication errors when using alternative agents. Here we present a critical examination of the literature concerning cross-reactivity of food allergies with propofol to provide evidence-based recommendations for the evaluation and management of potential allergic reactions. Summary Literature regarding the history of propofol allergy warnings and clinical trial data were assessed to provide an alternative perspective on avoidance of propofol in patients with food allergies. Suspected trigger molecules are discussed with evaluation of the antigenic potential of excipient ingredients used in the manufacture of multiple propofol formulations. Evidence-based recommendations are provided for pharmacist-led screening of adult patients with reported food allergies to support selection of propofol or alternative therapy. Conclusion There is a lack of definitive evidence that propofol must be routinely avoided in patients with reported allergies to egg, soy, and/or peanut products. Data from clinical trials suggest that propofol is safe for patients with nonanaphylactic food allergies. Patients who do experience allergic reactions following administration of propofol should undergo further testing to definitively identify the specific trigger and prevent future unnecessary avoidance of preferred medication regimens. Pharmacists can play an important role in interviewing patients with reported food allergies to better determine the risk vs benefit of propofol avoidance.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3402
Author(s):  
Barbara Borsani ◽  
Raffaella De Santis ◽  
Veronica Perico ◽  
Francesca Penagini ◽  
Erica Pendezza ◽  
...  

Carrageenan (CGN) is a high molecular weight polysaccharide extracted from red seaweeds, composed of D-galactose residues linked in β-1,4 and α-1,3 galactose-galactose bond, widely used as a food additive in processed foods for its properties as a thickener, gelling agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer. In recent years, with the spread of the Western diet (WD), its consumption has increased. Nonetheless, there is a debate on its safety. CGN is extensively used as an inflammatory and adjuvant agent in vitro and in animal experimental models for the investigation of immune processes or to assess the activity of anti-inflammatory drugs. CGN can activate the innate immune pathways of inflammation, alter the gut microbiota composition and the thickness of the mucus barrier. Clinical evidence suggests that CGN is involved in the pathogenesis and clinical management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), indeed food-exclusion diets can be an effective therapy for disease remission. Moreover, specific IgE to the oligosaccharide α-Gal has been associated with allergic reactions commonly referred to as the “α-Gal syndrome”. This review aims to discuss the role of carrageenan in inflammatory bowel diseases and allergic reactions following the current evidence. Furthermore, as no definitive data are available on the safety and the effects of CGN, we suggest gaps to be filled and advise to limit the human exposure to CGN by reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods.


2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 346
Author(s):  
Chhavi Arya ◽  
Chetna Jantwal

Food allergens are the substances present in food that cause food allergy. Human body reactions to food allergens range from mild to severe life threatening anaphylactic shock. At least seventy different foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions and several other foods have been identified which have the potential to provoke allergic reactions. Majority of the identified food allergens are proteins. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) identifies eight major food groups i.e. milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans as major allergy causing foods. These eight foods are believed to account for 90 per cent of food allergies and are responsible for most serious reactions to foods. Several studies have been done which identify the major allergens in various foods. The present paper attempts to review the major allergens present in various food.


Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caglayan-Sozmen ◽  
Santoro ◽  
Cipriani ◽  
Mastrorilli ◽  
Ricci ◽  
...  

Childhood food allergies are a growing public health problem. Once the offending food allergens have been identified, a strict elimination diet is necessary in treatment or prevention of most of the allergic reactions. Accidental food ingestion can lead to severe anaphylaxis. Food- derived substances can be used in medications at various stages of the manufacturing process. In this review, the possible roles of medications which may contain egg, red meat, gelatin, and fish allergens on allergic reactions in children with food allergy were evaluated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Maslin ◽  
C. Venter ◽  
H. MacKenzie ◽  
B. Vlieg-Boerstra ◽  
T. Dean ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Xiawen ◽  
Misu Paul ◽  
Tory McKnight ◽  
Song Park ◽  
Danna Chung ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundFood allergy is becoming increasingly common among the pediatric population. Despite strict avoidance of food allergens, a subgroup of sensitive individuals still develop frequent, persistent and difficult to treat hives (FPDTH) for which there is no curative therapy. Although these cases are rare, these patients are in most need of therapy.Case DescriptionThis is a retrospective review of 3 pediatric patients with highly sensitive food allergy who initially presented with hives daily or every other day, but achieved marked remission after traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies. Patient 1 (P1) is a 5-year-old who had experienced 140 reactions in his lifetime. Reactions were mostly hives with 4 episodes of anaphylaxis. P1 had used Prednisone 20 times, had an Epinephrine injection 4 times and had 3 emergency room (ER) visits. Patient 2 (P2) is a 12-year-old who had experienced hives since age 3. Despite daily antihistamine use, P2 had > 730 reactions in his lifetime at the time of presentation including 2 episodes of anaphylaxis. He had been prescribed prednisone 4 times, an Epinephrine injection 2 times and had 1 ER visit. Patient 3 (P3) is a 20-month-old girl who had experienced > 120 reactions including 1 episode of anaphylaxis. She was on daily desonide and frequently used and antihistamine, yet still had required a course of prednisone once, an Epinephrine injection once and had 1 ER visit to manage her reaction. After presenting to our clinic, patients received internal and external TCM treatments, including herbal bath and creams (Remedy A-D) as basic remedies to reduce food reactions, including but not limited to frequent hives. Within 7–9 months of TCM treatment, remarkably all patients had complete remission of atopic symotoms. All three patients also experienced improvement in other conditions including food intolerance, diarrhea, anxiety, eczema, environmental allergies. After 1 year of treatment, all three patients had reductions in food-specific IgE levels that had been previously elevated, and additionally, P1 and P3, who initially had high total IgE levels, experienced marked decrease in total IgE levels as well. All three patients continued to introduce foods into their diet that they previously had reactions to, and all 3 patients remain symptom-free.ConclusionsThree pediatric patients with known history of multiple food sensitivities and physician diagnosed food allergies that presented with FPDTH underwent TCM regimen and experienced dramatic improvement in symptoms and reduction in their IgE levels. This regimen appears to be effective in FPDTH population although further study in a controlled clinical setting is required.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (29) ◽  
pp. 11-15
Author(s):  
Florin-Dan Popescu ◽  
Mariana Vieru

Abstract Clinical entities of food allergy in allergic rhinitis patients due to IgE-sensitization to cross-reactive aeroallergen and food allergen components are well described, but less data are available regarding allergic reactions to foods containing aeroallergens, either due to food contamination, such as oral mite anaphylaxis, or due to their natural presence in the edible products, such as pollen grains in honey and bee products. There are some potential risks for allergic rhinitis subjects due to ingestion of food products containing domestic mite, insect, fungal and pollen allergens. The knowledge of these risks is useful for the allergists and ENT specialists, especially in the context of climate changes with warmer periods facilitating mite growth in flours, and of increase use of phytotherapy and apitherapy products containing pollen grains.


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