Detection of food allergen residues by immunoassays and mass spectrometry

230Food allergy is a type of non-toxic adverse food reaction, involving aberrant immune responses to food proteins that elicit various symptoms. Food allergy has developed into a significant health concern in many western countries. The World Allergy Organization (WAO) estimates that food allergy has touched the lives of approximately 220 to 250 million people, and primarily 5-8% of children of all ages are affected (WAO 2011). In 1995, 231immunological food allergy and non-immunological intolerance reactions were classified as two separate categories of non-toxic adverse food reactions, by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) (Bruijnzeel-Koomen et al. 1995). Food allergies can be extremely severe and potentially fatal to a susceptible population. Traces of offending ingredients in food products can elicit immediate adverse reactions. In Australia, nine foods and derived food ingredients have been recognised to induce the majority of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergies. These are peanut, tree nuts, sesame, egg, cow’s milk, soy, fish, shellfish and wheat (ATRS 2014). The true prevalence of food associated allergy in Australia remains unknown, but it is predicted to be 1-2% in the adult population and 4-6% in the paediatric population (FSANZ 2010). A 12-year (1995-2006) retrospective analysis reported that of 1,489 children between 0-5 years old, 47% had a food allergy, and most were sensitised by peanut, egg, cow’s milk and cashew nut (Mullins 2007). A parental survey involving 4,173 children in South Australia indicated that 0.6% of children aged 3-17 years had histories of severe anaphylaxis while 7.3% had histories of food allergy (Boros et al. 2000). Food-induced anaphylaxis occurs more frequently in pre-school aged children compared to school-aged children. Food allergy prevalence in infants and pre-school aged children ranged from 1% (in Thailand) to 10% (in Australia), based on published data only available from 16 out of 89 countries across the world (Prescott et al. 2013). Furthermore food allergy prevalence in school aged children varied from 0.3% in Korea to 4.2% in Australia to 7.6% in Tanzania (Prescott et al. 2013).