Advanced Proteomic and Bioinformatic Tools for Predictive Analysis of Allergens in Novel Foods

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Food proteins from new sources such as vegetable origin (pulses, legumes, cereals), fungi, bacteria and insects are being introduced into the market. However, these novel foods, which had often not been consumed by humans, pose an important risk to public health. The biggest challenge is to ensure food safety by analysing in detail their compositional, nutritional, toxicological and allergenic properties. As a massive preliminary screening, proteomic methods should be employed to search for potential allergens. This review focuses on proteomic and bioinformatic tools for food researchers to identify allergens in novel foods. There is a multitude of highly valuable online tools and protein databases based on sequence alignment, motif identification or 3-D structure predictions. Thus, plant and animal food allergens, including lipid transfer proteins, profilins, seed storage proteins, lactoglobulins, caseins, tropomyosins, parvalbumins and other similar proteins, could be detected in novel food matrices. Furthermore, novel potential allergens could be found for further analysis. This would imply a major simplification. ABSTRACT: In recent years, novel food is becoming an emerging trend increasingly more demanding in developed countries. Food proteins from vegetables (pulses, legumes, cereals), fungi, bacteria and insects are being researched to introduce them in meat alternatives, beverages, baked products and others. One of the most complex challenges for introducing novel foods on the market is to ensure food safety. New alimentary scenarios drive the detection of novel allergens that need to be identified and quantified with the aim of appropriate labelling. Allergenic reactions are mostly caused by proteins of great abundance in foods, most frequently of small molecular mass, glycosylated, water-soluble and with high stability to proteolysis. The most relevant plant and animal food allergens, such as lipid transfer proteins, profilins, seed storage proteins, lactoglobulins, caseins, tropomyosins and parvalbumins from fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish and fish, have been investigated. New methods for massive screening in search of potential allergens must be developed, particularly concerning protein databases and other online tools. Moreover, several bioinformatic tools based on sequence alignment, motif identification or 3-D structure predictions should be implemented as well. Finally, targeted proteomics will become a powerful technology for the quantification of these hazardous proteins. The ultimate objective is to build an effective and resilient surveillance network with this cutting-edge technology.