title: [Allergenic activity of non-calcinated egg shell calcium].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is few data to prove the safety of egg shell calcium as allergen. Especially, non-calcinated egg shell calcium is not allowed to use without the description of origin of egg on food labels in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the possibly contaminated egg allergens in commercial non-calcinated egg shell calcium made from egg by in vitro methodologies (SDS-PAGE, western blotting, inhibition ELISA and sandwich ELISA) and by single-blind oral non-calcinated egg shell calcium challenge on 6 egg hypersensitivity patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The allergenic activity of non-calcinated egg shell calcium was almost negligible compared to egg white by all in vitro methods. Furthermore, six patients with egg hypersensitivity were unresponsive to oral non-calcinated egg shell calcium challenge test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that there is little contamination of egg white in non-calcinated egg shell calcium, and that the allergenic activity of non-calcinated egg shell calcium is equivalent to that of calcinated egg shell calcium.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital. m-ebisawa@sagamihara-hosp.gr.jp
authors.forename: Motohiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebisawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachimoto
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikematsu
authors.forename: Chizuko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugizaki
authors.forename: Yasunobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D004528:Egg Shell / Q000737:chemistry*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D002118:Calcium