Thresholds of allergenic proteins in foods.
Threshold doses or Estimated Eliciting Doses (EEDs) represent an important new field of research in food allergy. Clinicians and regulators have embraced some toxicological concepts such as LOAEL and NOAEL and applied them to an area of significant clinical uncertainty and interest. The impact of intrinsic human factors (e.g., asthma and exercise) and extrinsic event factors (e.g., season, location and especially dose of allergen) on a future allergic reaction in the community needs to be considered carefully when interpreting results of clinical and research low-dose food challenges. The ongoing cooperation of food allergy research groups in medicine, food science and government will surely deliver results of the highest importance to the wider communities of allergology, food science and technology and the increasing number of allergic consumers.
Allergy and Inflammation Research (Child Health), Mailpoint 218, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK. J.Hourihane@soton.ac.uk
Jonathan O'B
JO
Hourihane
Andre C
AC
Knulst
D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005504:Food Analysis; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level
D000485:Allergens