Managing allergens in food

Food allergy:current diagnosis and management; The immune system & allergic responses to food; Impact of food allergies on quality of life; Allergens in food; Cross-reactivity of plant allergens; Intestinal microbiota & allergic response to food; The effect of food processing on allergens; Identifying fruit, nut & vegetable cultivars with low allergen levels & effects of post-harvest treatments; Developing allergen-free foods by genetic manipulation; Reducing allergens in milk & milk products; Reducing allergens in egg & egg products; Minimal processing & the allergic properties of food; Assessing allergic risks & practical management of allergens in food; Integrative approaches to assessing the allergenicity of foods; Detecting allergens in foods; Practical application of allergenic risk assessment of proteins; Allergen management in the food industry; Risk communication issues in food allergy; Consumer acceptance of new technologies for managing allergens in food.

Controlling allergens in food is a matter of increasing importance, especially in the light of recent legislation. Effective control of allergens depends on identifying allergenic ingredients, creating separate production lines for allergen-free products and effective labelling to inform consumers which products are safe to eat. In addition there is great interest in managing allergens, for example by reducing the allergenicity of foods through appropriate choice of raw food materials, post-harvest storage and food processing options. This book presents a cohesive summary of recent research undertaken to contribute to safer food production regarding food allergens.