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New UNL-developed food allergen test for soy flour commercialized
Nebraska
A recently commercialized test developed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln food scientists that quickly detects traces of soy flour is helping food processors better protect consumers with food allergies.
"Soy is one of the eight common foods responsible for about 90 percent of all food allergic reactions so we're pleased to get this into the industry's hands," said Sue Hefle, food toxicologist and co-director of the university's Food Allergy Research and Resource Program.
Neogen Corp. of Lansing, Mich., recently announced that kits based on the latest UNL test are available to processors. The company added soy flour to its line of rapid food allergy detection kits that are based on tests Hefle's team developed. The UNL team earlier devised tests for peanuts, milk, eggs, almonds and Wheat gluten.
The tests give processors a quick, reliable way to ensure their products contain only ingredients listed on the label. They detect traces of an allergenic food on manufacturing equipment or in food processed on shared equipment. For example, the new soy flour test can detect soy flour protein in food ingredients intended for use in prepared foods, such as cookies, crackers, ice cream or cereals.
The UNL-developed tests can be run by processing plant workers in about 30 minutes. Before UNL developed these tests, processors often had to send samples to outside labs and wait several days for results.
Food allergies, a growing concern for consumers and the food industry, are receiving more regulatory attention. Unlabeled ingredients that end up in food products cause many food recalls, Hefle said.
The UNL team is working on tests for other major food allergens. A test for hazelnuts could be commercialized within the next year. Hazelnuts are increasingly important because more Americans are eating foods containing the nut and becoming allergic to it, she said.
All of the tests are Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays, or ELISA, Hefle's specialty. Certain proteins are the culprits in allergenic foods and ELISAs use antibodies to spot them.
"There's no doubt that people with food allergies are safer today thanks to these tests," Hefle said. "They give processors the tools to check for and track down allergen contamination so it doesn't reach food-allergic consumers."
The Food Allergy Research and Resource Program is a university and industry partnership formed to help address critical food allergy issues. It is an international leader in studying food allergies from a food industry perspective, and in training and educating industry on allergen issues.
This research is conducted in cooperation with IANR's Agricultural Research Division with funding from the food industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Date: 9/22/05
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