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OK! Beneficial properties of Nbs in food allergen monitoring. Credit: Food Quality and Safety (2024). DOI: 10.1093/fqsafe/fyae018
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Beneficial properties of Nbs in food allergen surveillance. Credit: Food Quality and Safety (2024). DOI: 10.1093/fqsafe/fyae018
Food allergies pose significant health risks, affecting millions of people worldwide, with prevalence rates rising over the past few decades. Traditional detection methods, such as monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, are often costly, laborious, and prone to cross-reactivity. The need for accurate, efficient, and cost-effective allergen detection methods is greater than ever.
These challenges have sparked interest in exploring new detection strategies, and it is essential to conduct thorough research to develop advanced detection technologies that can better protect public health.
Researchers from the Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Hygiene at Nankai University in China have made great strides in this field. Their review, published in Food Quality and Safety on March 28, 2024, presents a method for using nanobodies for food allergy monitoring that could revolutionize the way food allergies are detected and managed.
This study highlights the advantages of nanobodies over conventional antibodies in the detection of food allergies. Nanobodies derived from camelid heavy chain antibodies are small, stable and highly specific, making them ideal for robust immunoassays. They effectively detect allergens such as macadamia nuts, peanuts, lupin and milk proteins with minimal cross-reactivity.
Of note is the ability to target conformational epitopes, improving the accuracy of allergen detection, especially in complex food matrices. The study also demonstrates the versatility and efficiency of nanobodies in different detection methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electrochemical immunoassay, indicating their wide applicability.
Professor Shuo Wang, lead author of the study, said: “The development of a nanobody-based immunoassay is a major advancement in the detection of food allergies. Nanobodies offer unparalleled stability and specificity, addressing a critical need for more accurate and efficient methods to protect food-sensitive people from food allergies. This research paves the way for future innovations in food safety.”
The implications of this work are significant: Nanobody-based detection methods could revolutionize food allergen monitoring, providing a reliable and cost-effective solution to increase food safety and reduce allergy risks. Furthermore, this work opens new avenues for the development of therapeutic strategies and diagnostic tools, highlighting the versatility of nanobodies in biomedical applications.
Further information: Yi Wang et al., “Nanobody-based food allergen monitoring: current status and prospects,” Food Quality and Safety (2024). DOI: 10.1093/fqsafe/fyae018
