A novel method for quantifying ingested food allergens in human sera.

Severe reactions in IgE-mediated food-allergic patients can occur within minutes after ingestion, but the eliciting mechanism(s), linking the amount of allergenic food to the heterogeneity of clinical manifestations, are yet unknown. Quantification of IgE reactive allergenic food in circulation is a prerequisite for understanding the kinetics of the allergic immune response, and has been attempted based upon poly-/monoclonal antibody recognition of wheat (1) , cow's milk (2) , and peanut allergens.