Quantifying Exposure to Food Allergens From Household Dust

Exposure to food allergens is a pre-requisite to the development of food allergy. It is not fully understood what level of exposure to allergens or what route of exposure is most important for allergic sensitization. Previous studies have suggested that food allergens present within household dust may contribute to allergic sensitization via the skin of individuals at risk of developing food allergies. We sought to determine the precise levels of common food allergens within household dust. Samples of settled dust were collected from various houses within Europe. The levels of 7 common food allergens were simultaneously quantified using a multiplex immunoassay. Allergens assessed were from peanut (Ara h 3 and Ara h 6), milk (Bos d 5), egg (Gal d 2), hazelnut (Cor a 9), cashew (Ana o 3) and shrimp (Tropomyosin). Each of the allergens assessed were readily found within household dust. The major allergens from egg (Gal d 2) and milk (Bos d 5) were found to be the most abundant food allergens in dust. As much as 275μg of allergen per gram of dust was found. The least abundant food allergen was the major hazelnut allergen Cor a 9. The levels of allergens within household dust appear to within the same range as levels known to cause sensitization to common indoor allergens such as cat and dust mite. These findings support the notion that household dust may be an important source of food allergen for sensitization.