Is Mass Spectrometry the Most Effective Method for Testing Foods for Allergens?
The mass spectrometry (MS) technique identifies each substance component by measuring its mass. During the analysis, the material is either vaporized or liquefied (in the case of liquid chromatography LC-MS). Its molecules are subsequently attacked with electrons, causing them to become electrically charged. They then pass through an electric field, which accelerates them, and a magnetic field, which bends their trajectory. During this process, molecules react differently depending on their mass: the lighter ones have a less electrical charge, accelerate more slowly, and bend more. It is possible to determine the exact composition of a food sample by analyzing these differences.
LC-MS will not analyze proteins, but rather peptides, short chains of amino acids that form their essential structure. Because peptides are unaffected by processing, LC-MS is more reliable than ELISA testing highly processed foods. Furthermore, with LC-MS, numerous allergens can be analyzed simultaneously.
On the other hand, sample preparation and analysis take time and necessitate the use of expensive laboratory equipment. Furthermore, LC-MS will only detect peptides rather than proteins. As a result, the precise concentration of the allergen (the parameter that matters in this case) will necessitate some degree of assumption.
PCR in real-time
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) extracts DNA from a sample, then amplified and analyzed. While traditional PCR testing is purely qualitative, real-time PCR provides quantitative data due to fluorescent reagents.
Because DNA is more stable than proteins, real-time PCR is better suited for highly processed foods. It can also test many allergens with a single sample and is the recommended approach for testing the presence of celery due to ELISA’s limitations with its allergen protein.
However, real-time PCR cannot discriminate between meals with the same DNA, such as milk and beef or eggs and chicks. Furthermore, the amount of allergenic proteins in a sample is not always associated with the amount of DNA in the sample. Another problem for food firms is that it necessitates sophisticated laboratory equipment.
Non-specific Protein Detection Allergen Swab Testing Kits
Non-specific protein swab detection tests are the simplest and most quick test procedures. However, because these protein test swabs are non-specific, they can only identify proteins and cannot distinguish between allergens and non-allergens. Their optimum application thus validates the efficacy of clean-in-place processes and the monitoring of food contact surfaces.
ATP tests are even less specific, detecting only the presence of organic material, and can be used for the same reason.
How to Select the Most Appropriate Allergen Testing Method
There is no such thing as the optimum allergen testing method for food businesses because each has its own set of restrictions and benefits. Depending on the situation, an effective allergy control program will have to exploit the capabilities of each.
There are a few questions to ask to determine which allergy is appropriate:
- What exactly is the aim of testing? Is it monitoring allergen management techniques, confirming cleaning and sanitation efficacy, or investigating a cross-contamination incident?
- Is the food tested highly processed?
- How many allergens are being examined, and which ones?
- How readily available are skilled workers and laboratory equipment?
- How quickly do results need to be obtained?