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Review
. 2017 Aug 4;9(8):835.
doi: 10.3390/nu9080835.

Food Processing: The Influence of the Maillard Reaction on Immunogenicity and Allergenicity of Food Proteins

Malgorzata Teodorowicz  1   2 , Joost van Neerven  3   4 , Huub Savelkoul  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Food Processing: The Influence of the Maillard Reaction on Immunogenicity and Allergenicity of Food Proteins

Malgorzata Teodorowicz et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

The majority of foods that are consumed in our developed society have been processed. Processing promotes a non-enzymatic reaction between proteins and sugars, the Maillard reaction (MR). Maillard reaction products (MRPs) contribute to the taste, smell and color of many food products, and thus influence consumers' choices. However, in recent years, MRPs have been linked to the increasing prevalence of diet- and inflammation-related non-communicable diseases including food allergy. Although during the last years a better understanding of immunogenicity of MRPs has been achieved, still only little is known about the structural/chemical characteristics predisposing MRPs to interact with antigen presenting cells (APCs). This report provides a comprehensive review of recent studies on the influence of the Maillard reaction on the immunogenicity and allergenicity of food proteins.

Keywords: Maillard reaction; Maillard reaction in food; Maillard reaction products (MRPs); advanced glycation end products (AGEs); allergenicity of AGEs; immunogenicity of AGEs.

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Conflict of interest statement

RJJvN is an employee of FrieslandCampina. HFJS and MT declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Simplified scheme of the formation of Maillard reaction product during food processing. Amadori rearrangement leads to the formation of a number of advanced glycation end products, among others: (a) Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine; (b) pyrraline and (c) pentosidine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic contribution of dietary Advanced glycation end products in the allergic sensitization process. Dietary Maillard reaction products (MRP) are taken up in the gut by crossing the epithelial barrier (I), leading to antigen uptake by mucosal dendritic cells and presentation of peptides to specific T-cells (II). Activated antigen-specific helper Th cells differentiate into pro-inflammatory and allergy-inducing Th17 and Th2 subsets (III). Allergen-specific B-cells become activated upon ligand binding and start the production of allergen-specific IgE antibodies (IV) that bind to mast cells and basophils and become detectable in the circulation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Modulation of allergenicity of food proteins by the Maillard reaction. Upon food processing using heating, reducing sugars will react with primary amino groups on amino acids from allergen proteins to result in Maillard reaction products (MRP). Consequently, these MRP may block epitopes thereby preventing IgE binding and crosslinking, and subsequent mediator release. This results in reduced allergenicity of the altered food allergens. Alternatively, MRP may lead to the exposure of neo-epitopes leading to enhanced uptake by antigen-presenting cells and exposure to specific T-cells and this enhanced possibility for IgE cross-linking may lead to enhanced allergenicity. Lastly, MRP may lead to the formation of agglomerates of allergen molecules resulting into enhanced IgE cross-linking and increased allergenicity. The ratio between these several possibilities determines the final outcome of the mediator release capacity of the MRP altered food allergens.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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