Award details

The effect of gastrointestinal digestion on the allergenicity of foods (Allergest)

Reference	BBS/E/F/00041307
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Clare Mills
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	182,091
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/01/2002
End date	31/12/2004
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Over 11 million EU citizens suffer from food allergy and consumers are concerned about the allergenic risks associated with transgenic and other novel foods. The poor digestibility of food allergens is used in allergenic risk assessment but current in vitro tests fail to mimic the complexities of the human digestive tract. The main objective of this project is to expand current allergenicity assessment of GMOs from a single transgene to the whole organism, and enlarge the strategies to encompass novel food processing methodologies, novel ingredients and food formulations, especially regarding the development of nutritionally-enhanced foods. It will be met by;(1) developing an in vitro model of the human digestive system to assess the digestibility of novel proteins;(2) comparing allergenicity of digested and intact allergens;(3) demonstrating the basis for linking the lack of digestibility of food allergens with their allergenic reactivity;(4) investigating the release and digestion of allergens during processing and in protein-lipid interactions in foods;(5) developing a decision tree determining allergenic risks posed by proteins, as part of the toxicological assessment of novel foods. This is crucial for development of knowledge-based strategies for the food industry to manufacture high quality low allergen foods suitable for consumption by food-allergic individuals

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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