Current situation and future aspect of food allergen detection method

Abstract

As for food allergens, the Japanese Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare (MHLW) made a decision for mandatory labeling of foods containing allergenic ingredients in 2001. Egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat and peanut, and most recently shrimp and crab require mandatory labeling. The MHLW announced the Japanese official method for the detection of specific allergenic ingredients in a ministry notification. The Japanese official methods consisted of two kinds of ELISA kit screenings, the Western blot method for egg and milk, and PCR method for wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp and crab as confirmation tests are listed in the ministerial notification of November 2002 and revised notification of January 2009. From now on, the notification of mandatory allergenic ingredients and detection method would be also revised timely.