Immunochemical methods in the study of microorganisms capable to hydrolise alergenic proteins in plant foods

Abstract

The present proposal aims to receive the researcher Dr. Kamel Eddine El Mecherfi from the Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) in Nantes, France, as a visiting researcher for a period of three months, to carry out research and teaching activities related to the project "Reduction of allergenicity of food proteins by the use of proteolytic microorganisms", underway at CEPID Food Research Center (FoRC). The proposal aims to continue an on-going partnership between the FoRC research group in the area of food microbiology and researchers at the BIA/INRA laboratory, which is currently focused on the study of food-borne lactic bacteria capable of reducing allergenicity of protein from soy and wheat during the fermentation process. This is a new approach in the topic of food allergies, which is a major challenge for the food industry, which increasingly needs ingredients of plant origin. During the visit, Dr. El Mecherfi will perform laboratory tests with the proteolytic bacterial strains available, using different substrates based on soy and wheat and will standardize the immunochemical methodologies such as dot-blot and direct and indirect ELISA, used in the detection of residual allergens in the products fermented by these bacteria. In addition to working in the laboratory assisting a graduate and postdoctoral fellow involved in this project, Dr. El Mecherfi will teach a specific course on the scientific basis of these and other techniques used in the study of immunogenic proteins, as well as participate in other disciplines in the postgraduate programs in Food Science and Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, both from FCF/USP. (AU)