title: House dust mite (Der p 10) and crustacean allergic patients may react to food containing Yellow mealworm proteins.
abstract: METHODS
  Due to the imminent growth of the world population, shortage of protein sources for human consumption will arise in the near future. Alternative and sustainable protein sources (e.g. insects) are being explored for the production of food and feed. In this project, the safety of Yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor L.) for human consumption was tested using approaches as advised by the European Food Safety Authority for allergenicity risk assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Different Yellow mealworm protein fractions were prepared, characterised, and tested for cross-reactivity using sera from patients with an inhalation or food allergy to biologically related species (House dust mite (HDM) and crustaceans) by immunoblotting and basophil activation. Furthermore, the stability was investigated using an in vitro pepsin digestion test. IgE from HDM- and crustacean allergic patients cross-reacted with Yellow mealworm proteins. This cross-reactivity was functional, as shown by the induction of basophil activation. The major cross-reactive proteins were identified as tropomyosin and arginine kinase, which are well known allergens in arthropods. These proteins were moderately stable in the pepsin stability test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these cross-reactivity studies, there is a realistic possibility that HDM- and crustacean allergic patients may react to food containing Yellow mealworm proteins.
authors.affiliation: TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands; Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy (UCFA), Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: kitty.verhoeckx@tno.nl.
authors.forename: Kitty C M
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Verhoeckx
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Broekhoven
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy (UCFA), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Constance F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: den Hartog-Jager
authors.affiliation: Proteomics@UMG, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Græcia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaspari
authors.affiliation: TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Govardus A H
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.affiliation: Agrotechnology and Food Innovations, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wichers
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy (UCFA), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Hoffen
authors.affiliation: TNO, Zeist, The Netherlands; Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy (UCFA), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Geert F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Houben
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands; Utrecht Center for Food Allergy (UCFA), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: André C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Knulst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003445:Crustacea / Q000276:immunology*; D005503:Food Additives; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D013712:Tenebrio / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D005503:Food Additives; D019476:Insect Proteins
keywords: Cross-reactivity; Crustaceans; Food allergy; House dust mite; Risk assessment; Yellow mealworm