ABSTRACT
In the past few decades, great progress in identification and characterization of food allergens has been achieved. Major food allergens from a small number of sources were identified and purified as early as the 1970s. Originally, researchers were free in naming the allergens they had identified and each researcher used a different naming scheme. The official nomenclature of allergenic proteins is based on the Linnaean binominal nomenclature identifying genus and species of all organisms. It was first published in 1986 and revised in 1994. A small letter may be added to specify the origin of the allergens with n, r and s indicating natural, recombinant and synthetic allergens or allergen-derived peptides. Originally, allergen numbers were assigned in the order of identification of the allergens. Homologous allergens from one species with similar molecular masses, similar biochemical functions and sequence identities of more than 67" are called isoallergens.
