Immunochemical investigation of allergenic residues in experimental and commercially-available wines fined with egg white proteins.
Proteinaceous egg whites are widely used as a fining agent during the production of red wines. Residues of egg white in the final wine could present a risk for individuals allergic to eggs. This study investigated the presence of allergenic residues in both red and white wines fined with egg whites. Experimental and commercially available wines fined with egg whites, with or without subsequent bentonite fining, were studied. Unfined wines were used as negative controls. The physicochemical characteristics of each wine were determined to assess their possible role in enhancing or hindering the elimination of allergenic residues from wine. The amount of egg white protein residues was investigated both by a specifically developed/validated ELISA test and by immunoblotting. Both immunochemical tests used the same anti-total egg white protein antibody and were highly sensitive to the allergen. No egg white protein was detected in the wines studied in either immunochemical test, irrespective of the physicochemical characteristics of the wine, the type and dosage of the fining agent and the oenological process used. The risk of adverse reactions in egg-allergic individuals should therefore be considered negligible, but the exemption from labelling should be allowed only when the absence of residues is confirmed by analytical controls.
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Francesca
F
Uberti
Unione Italiana Vini, via San Vittore al Teatro 3, 20123 Milano, Italy.
Roberta
R
Danzi
The Australian Wine Research Institute, PO Box 197, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia.
Creina
C
Stockley
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Elena
E
Peñas
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Cinzia
C
Ballabio
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Chiara
C
Di Lorenzo
Euroclone SpA, via Figino 20/22, 20016 Pero, MI, Italy.
Chiara
C
Tarantino
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: patrizia.restani@unimi.it.
Patrizia
P
Restani
D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D014920:Wine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics
D000485:Allergens; D004527:Egg Proteins
Allergenic residues; Egg white proteins; Fining agent; Wine