Quantitative immunohistochemical method for detection of wheat protein in model sausage

Abstract

Since gluten can induce coeliac symptoms in hypersensitive consumers with coeliac disease, it is necessary to label foodstuffs containing it. In order to label foodstuffs, it is essential to find reliable methods to accurately determine the amount of wheat protein in food. The objective of this study was to compare the quantitative detection of wheat protein in model sausages by ELISA and immunohistochemical methods. Immunohistochemistry was combined with stereology to achieve quantitative results. High correlation between addition of wheat protein and compared methods was confirmed. For ELISA method the determined values were r = 0.98, P < 0.01; for stereologythe determined values were r = 0.94, P < 0.01. Although ELISA is an accredited method, it was not reliable, unlike immunohistochemical methods (stereology SD = 3.1). Food allergens, gluten/gliadin, identification, histochemistry, meat productsDuring food production, various proteins of plant origin are added. They have many positive attributes but on the other hand, plant proteins include a wide range of allergens (Sicherer et al. 1999). One of the most common allergens is wheat protein (gluten) which consists of prolamine proteins and glutelins. Gluten is not only used in vegetable foodstuffs but also in meat products where it improves viscoelastic properties, colour stability, solidity, sappiness, and waterretention capacity of the product (Day et al. 2006). It also decreases cooking loss and positively influences structural and sensory characteristics of the product. However, gluten can induce coeliac symptoms in hypersensitive consumers with the coeliac disease (life-long autoimmune disease) which can have symptoms such as urticaria, atopic dermatitis, diarrhoea, tiredness, bone pains, stomach-aches, loss of appetite, loss of weight, anaemia, osteoporosis, infertility, and mental problems (Hischenhuber et al. 2006). The upper limit of the reported amount (100 mg·kg The main criteria of the evaluated procedures were the reliability and sensitivity of the individual methods. With regard to the fact that the amount of allergen inducing an allergic reaction is specific for each individual (Stern et al. 2001), an important monitored aspect was the reliability of detection of both high and low concentrations of added wheat protein.

Detection of Carrageenan in Meat Products Using Lectin Histochemistry

“…As reported by Besusparis et al [ 50 ], three histological sections are sufficient; nonetheless, Goethals et al [ 51 ] asserted that 8–12 sections are suitable. Our applications on food matrices suggest that 8 sections should be examined [ 52 ]. Statistically significant differences between lectins alone or between lectins and declared content were not demonstrated ( p = 1.00) by McNemar’s test.…”