A food allergen has the ability to first elicit an IgE response and then on subsequent
exposures a clinical response to the same or similar protein. How harmless food protein
becomes recognized by the mucosal immune system as an allergen remains an open question and
more data are needed to explain how regulatory mechanisms of the mucosal immune system fail and
result in allergic sensitization to dietary antigens. Some biochemical characteristics
associated with food allergens such as the presence of multiple linear IgE-binding epitopes
and the resistance of the protein to digestion and processing seem to predominate among food
allergens. Digestion susceptibility of food allergens that sensitize via the gastrointestinal
tract and stability to food processing conditions are inherently related to protein structural
features. Thereby physiological changes in the digestion process pathological conditions
affecting digestion as well as procedures and food processing conditions that affect protein
structure may all have a profound effect on the sensitizing potential and allergenicity of food
proteins. In addition signals coming from the diet and micro biome can modulate regulatory
mechanisms of the mucosal immune system and influence mucosal immunity and intestinal barrier
function. The detection of allergenic ingredients in food products has received increased
attention from the food industry and legislative and regulatory agencies over recent years.
This has resulted in the improvement of applied safety measures that provide protection for
food-allergic consumers and development of sensitive and highly specific analytical methods of
food allergens detection. Food allergy is an important and common health issue and therefore
there is a need to characterize the sensitizing potential of newly introduced proteins in
genetically engineered foods. A combination of in vitro and in silico methods provide
information that contributes to safety assessment. Suitable in vivo models may provide a more
holistic assessment of allergenic potential of novel food proteins.
