Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
07:10
Application of Biochip Microfluidic Technology to Detect Serum Allergen-specific Immunoglobulin E (sIgE)
Published on: April 21, 2019
FAD: a comprehensive database merging information about food allergens.
Wafa Mokhtari1,2, Souad Khemili-Talbi3, Jean Kwasigroch1
1Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Lab, École polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D Roosevelt 50, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Summary
A new Food Allergen Database (FAD) centralizes allergen information. This resource aids researchers by consolidating structural, biochemical, and immunological data, accelerating food allergy research.
Area of Science:
- Food science
- Immunology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Food allergies are a growing global health concern.
- Current information retrieval for food allergen data is fragmented across multiple databases, hindering research.
- Lack of a centralized resource impedes efficient analysis of allergen properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a comprehensive, centralized database for food allergen information.
- To consolidate diverse data types including biochemical, structural, and immunological properties.
- To facilitate efficient data extraction for researchers and risk assessors.
Main Methods:
- Compilation of data from various sources into a unified database.
- Integration of biochemical, structural, immunological, and functional properties.
- Inclusion of all known food allergens and their isoallergens.
Main Results:
- The Food Allergen Database (FAD) now contains 1168 entries.
- FAD successfully merges diverse data types for each allergen.
- The database provides a comprehensive overview of food allergen characteristics.
Conclusions:
- The Food Allergen Database (FAD) serves as an essential, centralized resource.
- FAD significantly streamlines the process of accessing critical food allergen information.
- This database will accelerate scientific progress in understanding and managing food allergies.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Sources of Food Contamination
Contamination of food by microbial agents and natural toxins poses significant risks to public health. These hazards can be introduced at various points across the food supply chain, ranging from environmental sources to processing and storage stages. Understanding these contamination pathways is critical for developing strategies to ensure food safety.Seafood is particularly vulnerable to contamination through both environmental exposure and microbial colonization. Toxins from harmful algal...
01:30Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a science-based, preventive system used globally to ensure food safety by identifying, evaluating, and controlling biological, chemical, and physical hazards throughout food production. Originally developed by NASA and the Pillsbury Company for astronaut food, HACCP is now a core component of the Codex Alimentarius.HACCP operates on prerequisite programs—such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), sanitation procedures, and supplier...
00:42Cross-reactivity
Overview
01:23Investigation of Disease Outbreaks
Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
01:30Allergic Reactions: Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction mediated by Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. When IgE binds to allergens, it triggers the release of mediators– histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins from mast cells and basophils. These mediators cause vasodilation, edema, and inflammation, leading to various symptoms.The primary allergens causing anaphylaxis include food items (e.g., peanuts, shellfish), drugs (e.g., penicillin, asparaginase, corticotropin, heparin),...
01:20Taste Buds and Receptors
Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...