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Harmonization of Allergen Detection and Quantification with NIST Reference Materials
Summary
Supporting food safety and labeling through reference materials, proteomic characterization, and method harmonization.
Description
NIST provides food allergen Reference Materials (RMs) for the global food industry. Our work centers on validating the performance of these materials across diverse analytical platforms, specifically liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).
The Challenge: While ELISA methods are the industry standard for allergen detection and quantification, results often vary significantly between manufacturers or even between different lots of the same kit. Furthermore, the industry is transitioning toward reporting total allergen protein (e.g., mg of almond protein per kg of food) rather than total allergen mass, necessitating accurate assays for protein quantification.
Current Focus: We are using LC-MS/MS and ELISAs to ensure that NIST RM 8404 (almond flour) and RM 8405 (hazelnut flour) are suitable for standardizing allergen detection and quantification. This includes:
- Characterizing the total protein concentration and allergenic protein profiles of the RMs and comparing them with commercially available nut flours.
- Ensuring the RMs behave similarly to commercially available nut flours during protein extraction and analysis.
- Evaluating assays to identify potential sources of intra-kit and inter-kit variability.
Available Reference Materials:
