Food safety: in vitro digestion tests are non-predictive for allergenic potential of food in stomach insufficiency.
According to the state of the art two classes of food allergens exist: class 1 allergens are capable to sensitize as well as to trigger allergic reactions via the oral route. In contrast, class 2 food allergens do not sensitize orally because they are easily digested and thereby lose their sensitization potential. For the same reason, they trigger IgE mediated reactions only at the primary contact sites. However, our animal and human studies demonstrated that also class 2 food allergens may acquire allergenic potential when gastric digestion is hampered, e.g. by hypoacidity. Therefore, in vitro digestion tests used as decision criteria by international food safety authorities are suitable tools for revealing class 1 food allergens, but they do not permit a safety classification of digestion-labile class 2 proteins in settings of stomach insufficiency.
Jensen-Jarolim
Erika
E
Untersmayr
Eva
E
D000485:Allergens / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D004063:Digestion; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013270:Stomach / Q000276:immunology*
D000485:Allergens