Food allergen testing is a necessary step to take to ensure that you keep consumers safe, especially those who have food allergies. An allergic reaction to a specific food is the body’s response and can be very dangerous for some people. This is why it is vital that food manufacturers know what components are in their products in order to include them on the packaging. Let’s explore in more detail what food allergen testing is and its significance.

What are food Allergies?
Food allergies develop when a person consumes or encounters a specific allergen. Food products that mostly account for the majority of food allergies include products such as: milk, gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, wheat and Shellfish, and the presence of any of these ingredients must be listed in the food labelling, which can be found through food allergens analysis.

Why should allergen testing be performed?
There may sometimes be complications during the food processing stage, which is why an evaluation of the possibility of allergy cross-contamination across the supply chain, from raw materials to the end product, is necessary to prevent the unintentional presence of allergens in food items. Testing of allergens also demonstrates the validity of a “free-from” claim as well as the justification to validate and confirm the effectiveness of allergen removal procedures.

Manufacturers are required by law to identify the ingredients in their products and disclose the proportions of each ingredient in each food item. You must also disclose information about the product's allergies and other components. This allows consumers to make informed decisions about the food products they buy and consume in order to avoid products that contain allergens that can affect them.
Lab testing services Assurecloud laboratories are able to perform accredited food allergen testing using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) testing procedures.

The methodologies used and accredited are as follows: –
ELISA – quantification
– Milk
– Egg
– Gluten/ Gliadin
– Soya
PCR – Detection (absence or present)
– Peanut
– Soya
– Gluten
– Fish

Risks associated with not doing allergen testing.
Failing to declare what components are in a product could mean that you run the risk of allergy contamination, in which case the product will have to be recalled which could cause serious reputational financial damage. Most food recalls are due to undeclared allergens and are 100% preventable if food quality professionals undergo the necessary lab testing.

Allergen testing is the best way to ensure that the consumer’s health and safety is always prioritised so that they can make informed decisions. Contact Assurecloud to help you with your allergen testing needs.