Foods (Jun 2020)

Allergenicity of Fermented Foods: Emphasis on Seeds Protein-Based Products

  • Kamel-Eddine El Mecherfi,
  • Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov,
  • Marcela Albuquerque Cavalcanti de Albuquerque,
  • Sandra Denery-Papini,
  • Roberta Lupi,
  • Thomas Haertlé,
  • Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco,
  • Colette Larré

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060792
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 6
p. 792

Abstract

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Food allergy is an IgE-mediated abnormal response to otherwise harmless food proteins, affecting between 5% and 10% of the world preschool children population and 1% to 5% adults. Several physical, chemical, and biotechnological approaches have been used to reduce the allergenicity of food allergens. Fermentation processes that contribute to technological and desirable changes in taste, flavor, digestibility, and texture of food products constitute one of these approaches. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), used as starter cultures in dairy products, are a subject of increasing interest in fermentation of plant proteins. However, the studies designed to assess the impact of LAB on reduction of allergenicity of seed proteins are at an early stage. This review presents the current knowledge on food fermentation, with a focus on seed proteins that are increasingly used as ingredients, and its impacts on food potential allergenicity.

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