44G-6 |
Threshold dose for egg allergy determined by oral challenge |
J. A. NORDLEE1, S. L. Hefle1, L. Christie2, S. H. Sicherer3, K. Althage2, A. W. Burks2, S. Mofidi3, J. O. Hourihane4, H. A. Sampson3, and S. L. Taylor1. (1) Food Allergy Research & Resource Program, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, 143 Food Industry Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68583-0919, (2) Univ. of Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall St., Little Rock, AR 72202, (3) Dept. of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital, 1 Gustave L. Levy Pl., New York, NY 10029, (4) Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford St., London, WC1N 1EH, England The amount of an allergenic food that can cause an allergic reaction in a sensitive individual is not known. An extremely small amount of data is available that is applicable to the determination of threshold levels for even the most commonly allergenic foods. It is important to obtain additional threshold information to assist the food industry in risk assessment to create strategies to protect food-allergic consumers. Egg is one of the most commonly allergenic foods. The objective of this study was to determine the threshold dose for egg in egg-allergic individuals by double-blind placebo-controlled oral food challenge (DBPCFC). Egg-allergic subjects were selected by the following criteria: Good histories of allergy to egg and egg-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) greater than 95 percentile or a positive oral egg challenge in the last 4-6 months. Twenty-three (23) egg-allergic children were selected and given increasing levels of spray-dried egg in a DBPCFC. One-ounce servings of cherry-flavored gelatin were used as the vehicle for the doses of spray-dried whole egg (SDWE). The negative control was flavored gelatin without SDWE. Six challenges were positive. Two subjects reacted at a cumulative dose of 3.33 mg SDWE, and four reacted at 33.33 mg SDWE. Symptoms of the reactions included pruritus, hives, and nausea. Seventeen subjects did not react to a cumulative dose of 33.33 mg SDWE. Risk assessment is an important part of the food industry's approach in creating strategies to protect food-allergic consumers from the presence of undeclared allergens in food products. The data presented here is a small, but significant step toward determining the threshold level for egg in egg-allergic individuals.
Session 44G, Toxicology & Safety Evaluation
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