Major allergens in 8 types of allergenic foods and allergen detection techniques

Abstract

In recent years, the prevalence of allergens in food warning notices, both domestically and internationally, has become the second leading concern after microbial contamination. Among the various factors that threaten human health reported by the World Health Organization, food allergy ranks fourth, and food allergy has become a global security problem. As of now, no definitive treatment for food allergies exists, making the avoidance of allergen-containing foods the most effective prevention method. Consequently, labeling foods with allergen information serves as a crucial warning for allergic populations. Moreover, to enhance comprehension of food allergies, this article provides a brief overview of their definition and sensitization mechanisms. The main focus lies in highlighting the structure of primary allergens found in eight commonly allergenic foods and the resulting clinical symptoms they cause. Additionally, a summary of commonly employed allergen detection techniques is presented, with an analysis of their principles, advantages, and limitations. Looking ahead, the integration of diverse technological approaches to establish an efficient, accurate, and affordable allergen detection method remains a significant trend. This article has certain reference value for understanding the direction of food allergies.