Researchers at Lincoln University are developing a new method of detecting common foods causing allergic reactions that is very sensitive, cost effective, and has the potential to allow a high throughput of samples.
With about 35,000 people in New Zealand suffering from food allergies this test has the potential to make food choices easier for allergy sufferers.
Worldwide more people are suffering allergies and while the technology is available to develop a diagnostic test involving genetically modified organisms this is not favoured by most people. The test being developed by staff in the Agriculture and Life Sciences Division at the University uses conventional and highly sophisticated scientific techniques.
At present, the presence of potential food allergens and food ingredients that commonly cause food intolerances must be declared on food labels or the information made available to the consumer.
As a result, many manufacturers use warnings on their packages such as: "may contain traces of nuts" or "processed on the same lines as a product containing nuts". However, there is little consistency in these warnings so people with allergies have to make a risk assessment on whether or not to eat the food. This lack of precision in labelling forces some people to have a very limited diet and this has implications for their overall health.
Team leader, Dr Jo Abbott from the Division's Cell Biology group said that if the government were to set threshold levels for the presence of common allergens in food, e.g. less than 50 parts per million of peanut, then it would relatively easy to develop a test that had the required sensitivity.
Dr Abbott supervised short-term scholarship students from the Division, Tamara Dickinson and Len Ibbotson, who investigated whether detecting DNA from allergic producing species rather than the allergen itself could be a more sensitive and cost effective method of analysing foods
While a number of tests for food allergies are already in use, they are based on identifying the presence of the allergenic protein itself. This new method is based on the detection of the DNA of the allergenic food.
"If the DNA is there then there is a high possibility that the allergen is also there," said Dr Abbott. "Conversely, there needs to be further tests to make sure there are no false positives or false negatives".
The test being developed is much more cost effective than other tests available, which can cost up to $50 for each food tested.
"As a new development from this work we are, currently, working to use sophisticated molecular biology techniques to make the test even more sensitive".
"Once the government sets thresholds we can then tailor our test to the required sensitivity which can be different for each allergen," said Dr Abbott.
This research is being carried out to help the industry choose tests with a level of sensitivity that are capable of detecting foods that may create allergic responses, that are hidden in industrial products and also to specify protective measures for highly allergenic people in order to prevent severe anaphylaxis.
AllergyNZ supports clear and consistent labelling of foods. They are currently pushing to have the words 'may contain' removed form packaged foods as they want greater specificity as to whether food does or does not contain an allergen.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Janette Busch, Technical Writer
Lincoln University, Canterbury
Tel: 64 3 325 3838 ext 8114
Email: Janette Busch