Criteria used to categorise proteins as allergens for inclusion in allergenonline.org: a curated database for risk assessment

Authors

Richard E. Goodman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Ronald van Ree, Academic Medical Center
Stefan Vieths, Paul-Ehrilich-Institut
Fatima Ferreira, University of Salzburg
Motohiro Ebisawa, Sagamihara National Hospital
Hugh A. Sampson, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Joseph Baumert, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
John Wise, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Steve L. Taylor, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2014

Citation

Goodman et al.: Criteria used to categorise proteins as allergens for inclusion in allergenonline.org: a curated database for risk assessment. Clinical and Translational Allergy 2014 4(Suppl 2):P12.

Abstract

New proteins introduced in foods through genetic engineering or processing are often evaluated for potential risks of eliciting food allergy (Codex, 2003). The primary risk is the transfer of an allergen or a protein nearly identical to an allergen and capable of causing IgE mediated cross-reactions into a new food source. The AllergenOnline. org database was developed to provide a curated set of allergenic sequences for bioinformatics comparisons to identify proteins that should be tested further (e.g. serum IgE binding). Curation is necessary as the scientific literature and general sequence databases include thousands of proteins labeled as allergens that lack proof of allergenic activity.