Food and Agrochemical Allergens

HSE has had long experience in monitoring exposure to allergens in the bakery industry, with established methods for fungal alpha amylase and wheat flour antigen. We also provide an assay for the measurement of soya trypsin inhibitor, a major inhalation allergen found in soy products (flour and oil), extensively used in the food industry and soya bean pellets used in agricultural animal feedstuff.

A number of crustacean proteins are allergenic both by inhalation and ingestion. HSE has a long established pan-crustacea muscle protein immunoassay that can be used to identify such allergens. We also offer fish parvalbumin testing for cod, haddock and salmon.

References

Howard J Mason, Susan Fraser, Andrew Thorpe, Paul Roberts, Gareth Evans. Reducing dust and allergen exposure in bakeries. AIMS Allergy and Immunology, 2017, 1(4): 194-206.

Mason, H.J.; Gómez-Ollés, S.; Cruz, M.-J.; Roberts, P.; Thorpe, A.; Evans, G. Quantifying Dustiness, Specific Allergens, and Endotoxin in Bulk Soya Imports. Environments 2017, 4, 76.

Elms J, Robinson E, Rahman S, et al. Exposure to flour dust in UK bakeries: current use of control measures. Ann Occup Hyg. 2005; 49: 85-91

Elms, J; Beckett, P; Griffin, P; Evans, P; Sams, C; Roff, M; Curran, AD. Job categories and their effect on exposure to fungal alpham-amylase and inhalable dust in the UK baking industry. AIHA JOURNAL 2003 64(4) 467-471

Elms, J., D. Fishwick, et al. (2003). "Prevalence of sensitisation to cellulase and xylanase in bakery workers." Occupational Environmental Medicine60(10): 802-804.

Griffin, P., D. Fishwick, et al. (2001). "Respiratory symptoms and wheat flour exposure: a study of flour millers." Occupational Medicine 51: 141-143.

Jeffrey, P., P. Griffin, et al. (1999). "Small bakeries: a cross-sectional study of respiratory symtoms, sensitization and dust exposure." Occup Med (London) 49(4): 237-241.

Wiley, K., M. Smith, et al. (1997). "Measurement of airborne flour exposure with a monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay." Int Arch Allerg Immunol 114: 278-284.