(Food) Allergen Management by Alois Fellinger FoodSAFE 14 May 7,2014
Allergens
It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles. ( 知彼知己, 百戰不殆 ; 不知彼而知己, 一勝一負 ;) Sun Tzu ( 孫子, c. 6th century BCE), Chinese general, author of The Art of War
Milk Allergy to bovine milk is most common in children Main Allergen(s): β-lactoglobulin (Bos d 5), α-lactalbumin (Bos d 4), Casein Fraction (Bos d 8) Caseins from cows, sheep and goats have 87-98% identical sequences
Eggs Main Allergen(s): Ovomucoid (Gal d 1), Ovalbumin (Gal d 2), Ovotransferrin (Gal d 3), Lysozyme (Gal d 4) Cross reactivity between different bird eggs is published Allergy to chicken meat (as well as to turkey) is very rare
Fish Allergens are Parvalbumins, calciumbinding proteins found in the white muscle meat of many fish species (~5mg/g meat), they are heat stable and enzyme resistant proteins Main Allergen(s): Codfish (Allergen M, Gad c 1), Salmon (Sal s 1), Carp (Cyp c 1), Tuna >95% crossreactivity with other fish in allergic persons
Allergen is mostly Tropomyosin, a protein responsible for muscle contractions Crustaceae Main Allergen(s)Shrimp (Pen a 1), Craps (Cha f 1), Crawfish (Pan s 1), Lobster (Hom a 1), Oyster (Cra g 1, Cra g 2), Squid (Tod p 14) High probability of cross reactivity between different seafoods
Nuts One of the most common food allergies in children and adults. Major Allergen(s) Hazelnut (Cor a 1), Cashew nut (Ana o 1), Walnut (Jug r 1), Brazil nut (Ber e 1) High probability of allergy to other nuts. Tree nuts should not to be confused with peanut, which is a legume, or seeds, such as sunflower or sesame. 2013, A. Fellinger Food Allergy & Allergens 9
Peanuts Peanuts are the leading cause of severe food allergic reactions with more severe symptoms than other food allergies. As many as one-third of peanut-sensitive patients have severe reactions, such as fatal and near-fatal anaphylaxis. Major Allergen(s): Peanut (Ara h 1, Ara h 2) 2013, A. Fellinger Food Allergy & Allergens 10
Cereals containing gluten Wheat allergy is most common in children, and is usually outgrown before reaching adulthood A wheat allergy should not be confused with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, which affects the small. Individuals with celiac disease must avoid gluten, found in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats 2013, A. Fellinger Food Allergy & Allergens 11
Soy Soybean allergy is one of the more common food allergies, especially among babies and children, but it is often outgrown. Allergic reactions to soy are typically mild. Major Allergen(s): Soya (Gly m 4, Gly m 5, Gly m 6) Soybeans are widely used in processed food products. As it is used in so many products, eliminating all those foods can result in an unbalanced diet. 2013, A. Fellinger Food Allergy & Allergens 12
Celery Lupine Molluscs Mustard Sesame SO 2
How to deal with Allergens?
Source of Allergens Recipe
Label it!
What about hidden Allergens?
Anything out there? and if so, where is it coming from?
Could it be harmful?
Can it be avoided?
product contamination Ingredients contamination during transport tools equipment handling of reworks Handling improper procedure Cleaning environmental influence Product selection of ingredients production schedule process design crossing production lines shared storage with allergens open storage of packing material Design Process Storage *depending on your product & process
Product Development and Design Consumer group? Specific needs? e.g. gluten free Naturally free or specifically processed Selection of ingredients cross contamination Production process shared equipment? Correct labelling
Critical Control Points Incoming goods Ingredient Storage - Warehouse Cleaning Manufacturing equipment In-process cross contamination Rework Packaging/labelling - finished product Storage
Incoming goods and Warehouse Audit supplier and supply chain Confirm supplier specifications & certificates Assure correct storage and ingredient separation Have complete raw material and product specifications
Processing and Packaging Plan and schedule production Try to use dedicated production lines Proper cleaning and sanitation of production equipment Appropriate design of facilities, equipment and tools Accurate labeling of equipment, tools, intermediates, etc. Procedures for using rework (internal returns) Clean tools Detect cross contamination
Finished Product and Warehouse Verify correct labelling Correct packaging Correct product separation Auditing and enforcement
The VITAL (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) system is an essential standardized allergen risk assessment tool for food producers
VITAL 2.0 VITAL allows a single simple standardized precautionary statement, to assist food producers in presenting allergen advice consistently for allergic consumers.
Good management with poor equipment will bring to a better result than any good equipment with poor management.