Figure 3.2. Assessment of the Allergenic Potential of Foods Derived from Biotechnology. (Source: FAO/WHO 2001)

Footnotes to Figure 3.2.

(a). Any significant positive results obtained from sequence homology comparisons to the sequences of known allergens in existing allergen databases or from serum screening protocols, indicate that the expressed protein is possibly  allergenic.

(b). The degree of confidence in negative results obtained in the specific serum screen is enhanced by the examination of larger numbers of individual sera. Conducting the specific serum screen with small numbers of individual sera when large numbers of such sera are readily available should be discouraged.

(c). When positive results are obtained in both the pepsin resistance and animal model protocols, the expressed protein has a high probability to become an allergen.  When negative results are obtained in both protocols, the expressed protein is unlikely to become an allergen.  When different results are obtained in the pepsin resistance and animal model protocols, the probability of allergenicity is intermediate.

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