Finfish is one of the major allergenic foods, whose declaration is required on packages. Undeclared allergenic residues are mainly derived from allergen cross-contact. Swabbing of food contact surfaces helps to detect allergen cross-contamination. This study aimed to establish a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) to quantify the major finfish allergen, parvalbumin, from swab samples. First, parvalbumin from four finfish species was purified. Its conformation was investigated under reducing, non-reducing and native conditions. Second, one anti-finfish parvalbumin monoclonal antibody (mAb) was characterized. This mAb had a calcium-dependent epitope which was highly conserved in finfish species. Third, one cELISA was established with a working range between 0.59 ppm and 150 ppm. It showed a good recovery of swab samples on food-grade stainless steel and plastic surfaces. Overall, this cELISA could detect a trace amount of finfish parvalbumins on cross-contact surfaces, which is suitable for allergen surveillance in the food industry.
Keywords: Cross-contact; Finfish; Glycoprotein; Immunoassay; Parvalbumin; Swabbing.
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