Chemical and Biological Properties of Food Allergens

In the U.S. alone, severe food-related allergic reactions account for an estimated 30,000 emergency room visits and 150 deaths per year ? unsettling statistics for food product developers and manufacturers who are charged with ensuring food safety and quality throughout the entire farm-to-table production chain. Providing the clear-cut information necessary to conduct an effective allergen risk analysis, Chemical and Biological Properties of Food Allergens comprehensively examines the chemical, analytical, technological, and medical aspects of food allergies and the growing problem of cross-contact contamination during product processing.

With contributions from an international team of research specialists, the book explains the basic mechanisms of allergenic reactions in humans, the molecular background of these mechanisms, and the problems of food tolerance and intolerance. It also discusses the issues related to common treatments of food allergies and the narrow groups into which they are categorized.

Covering the most important recognized allergens in the U.S. and the EU, this resource also explores cutting-edge technological and biotechnological ways to lower the immuno-reactive and allergenic properties of foods. Chemical and Biological Properties of Food Allergens evaluates the current research literature in a concise format ? a must for food product developers and biochemists.

Molecular, Cellular, and Physiological Mechanisms of Immunological Hyporesponsiveness/Sensitization to Food. Immunomodulating Properties of Food Components. Methods for Detection of Food Allergens. Recombinant Food Allergens and Their Role in Immunoassay and Immunotherapy. General Characteristics of Food Allergens. Milk Allergens. Egg Allergens. Fish Allergens. Seafood Allergen Overview: Focus on Crustacea. Nut Allergens. Peanut (Arachis hypogea) Allergens. Soy (Glycine max) Allergens. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Allergens. Short Characteristics of the Other Important Food Allergens. Risk Analysis of Food Allergens.

Lucjan Jedrychowski, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn

Harry Wichers, Agrotech & Food Sciences Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands