Use of IHF-QD Microscopic Analysis for the Detection of Food Allergenic Components: Peanuts and Wheat Protein

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analytically evaluate quantum dots in immunohistofluorescence (IHF-QD) microscopic imaging as detectors of food allergens—peanut and wheat. The experiment was designed as two in silico experiments or simulations: (a) models of pastry samples were prepared with the addition of allergenic components (peanut and wheat protein components) and without the addition of allergenic components, and (b) positive and negative commercial samples underwent food allergen detection. The samples from both simulations were tested by the ELISA and IHF-QD microscopic methods. The primary antibodies (secondary antibodies to a rabbit Fc fragment with labeled CdSe/ZnS QD) were labelled at 525, 585, and 655 nm emissions. The use of quantum dots (QDs) has expanded to many science areas and they are also finding use in food allergen detection, as shown in the study. The study indicated that differences between the ELISA and IHF-QD microscopic methods were not observable among experimentally produced pastry samples with and without allergenic components, although differences were observed among commercial samples. The important value of the study is certainly the differences found in the application of different QD conjugates (525, 585, and 655). The highest contrast was found in the application of 585 QD conjugates that can serve for the possible quantification of present food allergens—peanuts and wheat. The study clearly emphasized that QD can be used for the qualitative detection of food allergens and can represent a reliable analytical method for food allergen detection in different food matrixes.

Two Faces of Milk Proteins Peptides with Both Allergenic and Multidimensional Health Beneficial Impact—Integrated In Vitro/In Silico Approach

“…Until now, human allergic sera are commonly used, also in our study [ 51 ] to verify the immunoreactivity of peptides. Sera remain a unique analytical material, so even the use of extremely sensitive detection methods, such as mass spectrometry, secondary antibodies with fluorescent dyes or quantum dots in immunohistofluorescence [ 52 ] does not eliminate the need of immunoreactivity verification with this problematic material which remains well characterized allergic human serum. The proper selection of peptides for further, more sensitive analysis, seems as important as non-targeted IV screening.…”

LAMP-LFD Based on Isothermal Amplification of Multicopy Gene ORF160b: Applicability for Highly Sensitive Low-Tech Screening of Allergenic Soybean (Glycine max) in Food

“…The qualitative results of the analysis of soy incurred food matrices and selected retail foods, as obtained with the different soybean detection methods, were statistically analyzed using MS Excel 2016 and SigmaPlot 14.0 (Systat Software GmbH, Erkrath, Germany). We performed McNemar's Test, similarly as previously described [22], to analyze if observed differences of results of investigated samples were statistically significant between methods. The results of two compared methods were arranged binary (positive: 1; negative or doubtful: (0) and counted.…”