Comparison of commercially available ELISA kits with human sera-based detection methods for peanut allergens in foods.

Undeclared peanut allergens as contaminants in foodstuffs represent a major health problem for sensitized persons. Various immunochemical techniques are employed to detect and quantify peanut allergens. There is an urgent need to compare and standardize those test systems to enable comparable allergen analyses of foodstuffs, comparable studies, and consequent and consistent measures against the presence of hidden peanut allergens. The present study compared commercially available peanut ELISA kits with human sera-based immunoassay techniques (dot blotting and Western blotting), enabling semiquantitative and quantitative detection, and identification of peanut contaminants in foodstuffs. Additionally, the effect of conventional roasting conditions on the detection and quantification of peanut with the selected methods was investigated.