ABSTRACT
Food allergy is a specific type of immunologically mediated adverse reaction resulting from the ingestion of a food or food additive. This reaction occurs only in some of the exposed subjects, requires prior exposure, may occur only after a small amount of substance is ingested, and is unrelated to any physiological effect of the food or food additive. The quantity of a particular food ingested, which is influenced by the diet and culture of a region, can have a significant effect on the prevalence of a specific food allergy. Cross-reactivity can occur among food allergens. Recombinant techniques offer breeders, horticulturists, farmers, and consumers agricultural crops with improved qualities, including increased resistance to stress, insects, diseases, and herbicides. Recombinant allergens in genetically engineered or altered foods can be identified using traditional in vitro assays such as the radioallergosorbent test inhibition or the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition assays.
