Advanced DNA-based methods for the detection of peanut allergens in processed food

Currently, food allergy is a worldwide public health problem, of which peanut allergy is more severe. Peanut allergy is usually lifelong and even trace amount of peanut allergens can cause severe anaphylactic reactions. Nowadays there is no complete cure for sensitized individuals. The dominant prevention is to avoid exposure to peanuts and peanut products. But there are risks of false ingredient labeling and cross-contamination during food processing. Hence, it is important and urgent to detect peanut allergens in food products. This review highlights advances and future trends in DNA-based methods applied to detect peanut allergens in processed food. A summary of published methods for detecting peanut allergens in food is given with a comparison of DNA targets and limit of detection.