SPSFAM Allergens ERP

Do you recommend this method be adopted as a First Action and published in the Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC INTERNATIONAL? Please specify rationale.

The proteomic approach described here and proposed by the authors uses LC–MS/MS to specifically detect allergens in one analysis. Proteins unique to eggs, milk, peanut, and hazelnut have been extracted, subjected to trypsin digestion and analysis by liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, in order to find highly conserved peptides that can be used as markers to detect components in the food. The multiplexed LC/MS analytical method of detection of these marker peptides in foods was based on retention time of analytes, accurate mass and product ions from MS/MS. LC with electrospray ionization and tandem MS operating in the multiple reaction monitoring mode provide high sensitivity and selectivity for trace analysis. This multiplexed approach provides the means to test food for hidden allergenic compounds with accuracy and sensitivity to satisfy both inspection and labelling purposes. In my opinion base on my knowledge, I believe that the proposed method might be considered as comprehensive LC/MS method for detecting and quantifying peptide markers specific and unique to those proteins. In my opinion, the AOAC Candidate Method #ALL-02 entitled ‘Multiplexed LC-MS Method for the Detection and Quantitation of Selected Food Allergens (milk, hazelnut, peanut and whole egg)’ described by Jennifer Sealey Voyksner, Jerry Zweigenbaum and Robert Voyksner can be adopted in its present form as a First Action and recommended for publication in the Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC INTERNATIONAL.