Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

How should we proceed with the standardization in case of allergen determination?

  • Discussion Forum
  • Published:
Accreditation and Quality Assurance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Allergens cannot at present be measured with the trueness that attends the analysis of well-characterized chemical entities such as mycotoxins where the analytes are defined and identical in sample and calibrator. By nature, allergens are nearly always a mixture of different proteins with different mass fractions of each single protein. Allergens are furthermore in a commodity with different total protein contents in the presence of an unknown matrix. To circumvent these difficulties, reference materials for allergens would be useful but until now not realized due to biological variabilities of the materials, and the contradiction between medical issues and declaration of foods due to legislation. Examples for standardization efforts are given which are (1) peanut where a common reference material not intended for allergen determination is used and (2) gluten/gliadin where the extraction procedure, the antibody and a calibrator are standardized but proficiency tests are not fit-for-purpose due to inhomogeneity of the testing material. Furthermore, the analytical minimum requirements and the declaration of egg-white proteins, caseins and lysozyme in wine are reviewed. To show one negative example for standardization efforts, milk is discussed. The possibilities and limits of reference materials for the standardization of allergen determinations are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Lacorn M, Immer U (2010) Standardization in allergen determination. Accred Qual Assur 15:207–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Caroli AM, Chessa S, Erhardt GJ (2009) Milk protein polymorphisms in cattle: effect on animal breeding and human nutrition. J Dairy Sci 92:5335–5352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Farrell HM Jr, Jimenez-Flores R, Bleck GT, Brown EM, Butler JE, Creamer LK, Hicks CL, Hollar CM, Ng-Kwai-Hang KF, Swaisgood HE (2004) Nomenclature of the proteins of cows’ milk-sixth revision. J Dairy Sci 87:1641–1674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Scaloni A, Perillo V, Franco P, Fedele E, Froio R, Ferrara L, Bergamo P (2002) Characterization of heat-induced lactosylation products in caseins by immunoenzymatic and mass spectrometric methodologies. Biochim Biophys Acta 1598:30–39

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Heck JML, Olieman C, Schennink A, van Valenberg HJF, Visker MHPW, Meuldijk RCR, van Hooijdonk ACM (2008) Estimation of variation in concentration, phosphorylation and genetic polymorphism of milk proteins using capillary zone electrophoresis. Int Dairy J 18:548–555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Marvin LF, Parisod V, Fay LB, Guy PA (2003) Characterization of lactosylated proteins of infant formula powders using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry. Electrophoresis 23:2505–2512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Regester GO, Smithers GW (1991) Seasonal changes in the β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, glycomacropeptide, and casein content of whey protein concentrate. J Dairy Sci 74:796–802

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ng-Kwai-Hang KF, Hayes JF, Moxley JE, Monardes HG (1987) Variation in milk protein concentrations associated with genetic polymorphism and environmental factors. J Dairy Sci 70:563–570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Taylor SL, Hefle SL, Bindslev-Jensen C, Bock SA, Burks AW, Christie L, Hill DJ, Host A, Hourihane JOB, Lack G, Metcalfe DD, Moneret-Vautrin DA, Vadas PA, Rance F, Skrypec DJ, Trautman TA, Malmheden-Yman I, Zeiger RS (2002) Factors affecting the determination of threshold doses for allergenic foods: how much is too much? J Allergy Clin Immunol 109:24–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lacorn M, Immer U (2011) Allergen determination in food—reference materials and traceability of results. Accred Qual Assur 16:449–452

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Van Eckert R (2002) The PWG gliadin, a new reference material. In: Stern M (ed) Proceedings of the 16th meeting of the WGPAT, Nov 2001, Sitges, Spain. Verl. Wissenschaftliche Scripten, Zwickau, pp 25–27

  12. EC 2009 Commission regulation no. 41/2009 of 20 January 2009 concerning the composition and labeling of foodstuffs suitable for people intolerant to gluten. Off J Eur Union L 16:3–5

    Google Scholar 

  13. Osman AA, Uhlig HH, Valdes I, Amin M, Mendez E, Mothes T (2001) Monoclonal antibody recognizing a potential celiac toxic repetitive pentapeptide epitope in gliadins. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 13:1189–1193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Garcia E, Llorente M, Hernando A, Kieffer R, Weiser H, Mendez E (2005) Development of a general quantitative gliadin extraction procedure for unheated and heat-processed foods. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 17:529–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Thompson M, Ellison SL, Wood R (2006) The international harmonized protocol for the proficiency testing of analytical chemistry laboratories. Pure Appl Chem 78:145–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lopez I, Santamaria P, Tenorio C, Garijo P, Gutierrez AR, Lopez R (2009) Evaluation of lysozyme to control vinification process and histamine production in Rioja wines. J Microbiol Biotechnol 19:1005–1012

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lacorn M, Goeßwein C, Immer U (2011) Determination of residual egg white proteins in red wines during and after fining. Am J Enol Vitic 62:382–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Weber P, Steinhart H, Paschke A (2007) Investigation of the allergenic potential of wines fines with various proteinogenic fining agents by ELISA. J Agric Food Chem 55:3127–3133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. EC 2007 Commission directive no. 68/2007 of 27 November 2007 amending Annex IIIa to Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards certain food ingredients. Off J Eur Union L 310:11–14

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. R-Biopharm AG, 64297, Darmstadt, Germany

    M. Lacorn, T. Weiss & U. Immer

Authors
  1. M. Lacorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Weiss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. U. Immer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Lacorn.

Additional information

Papers published in this section do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editors, the Editorial Board and the Publisher.

A critical and constructive debate in the Discussion Forum or a Letter to the Editor is strongly encouraged!

Presented at BERM-13, June 2012, Vienna, Austria.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lacorn, M., Weiss, T. & Immer, U. How should we proceed with the standardization in case of allergen determination?. Accred Qual Assur 18, 119–125 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-013-0965-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-013-0965-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation