Mitigating Food Protein Allergenicity with Biopolymers, Bioactive Compounds, and Enzymes
Moslem Sabaghi, Soheila J. Maleki
Abstract
This review explores strategies for mitigating food allergies by treating foods with biopolymers, bioactive compounds, and food-grade enzymes. Biopolymers like chitosan, alginate, and pectin show potential in reducing the allergenic properties of food. Polyphenols such as quercetin, resveratrol, curcumin, and epigallocatechin gallate demonstrate promise as anti-inflammatory molecules that can lessen the symptoms and severity of allergic reactions. Enzymes, including proteases such as pepsin, papain, and bromelain, and transferases like transglutaminase, offer the potential to reduce the allergenic potency of proteins by various mechanisms, though more research is needed for the optimization and assessment of the safety and palatability of treated foods. Overall, this review offers insights into potential strategies to alleviate allergic reactions by reducing the allergenic properties of food proteins.