Modified Allergens
Processed Food
Food Processing can affect the structural and allergenic properties of foods.
Commercial food processing methods include:
preparation, mechanical processes, separation, isolation and purification, thermal processing, biochemical processing, genetic engineering, irradiation, synthetic vitamin fortification and the addition of natural and artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
Thermal Processing
- High levels of heat can cause a disorganization within the structure and lead to denaturation of the proteins
- Once denatured, a protein loses most of its biological activity
- Chemical modifications of the protein may also occur at high temperatures
Dairy Processing
Homogenization
Heat-Altered Cryoglobulin
Cryoglobulin Destroyed Fat Globule Clusters
Homogenized Milk Fat
Modified Milk Fat
Recombined Membrane
Milk Plasma
Amphiphilic Molecules
Peanuts
- Multiple studies have also concluded that the thermal processing of peanuts enhances the allergenicity
- Allergies to peanuts in China are virtually nonexistent as cooking methods lower temperatures with boiling or frying in oil as opposed to roasting
Pesticides on Food
- Sales for pesticides are approximately $8.8 billion per year
- Long-term effects of low level pesticide exposure are currently unknown
- Pesticide use has increased 50 fold over the last 60 years
- The worldwide environmental cost from pesticide use is $100 billion per year