Plant Food Allergens is concerned with a paradox of immense, potentially life-threatening significance to about 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 10 children. The paradox is that certain nutritious proteins from wholesome foods can act as if the were harmful, sometimes deadly poisons, to these people who possess an allergy to them. In order to study the complex problems of food allergy a EU funded network, called PROTALL was set up, bringing together a wide range of clinicians and scientists. This important book is largely based on the outcome of its investigations.

Written by over 30 acknowledged experts and carefully edited by Dr Clare Mills and Professor Peter Shewry, themselves well known internationally; this important work covers all major aspects of the subject. Commencing with introductory chapters, the comprehensive contents of Plant Food Allergens includes details of the major allergens including: plant lipid transfer proteins, the 2S albumin proteins, the cereal á-amylase/trypsin family, latex and plant chitinases, profilins, bet v 1-homologous allergens and plant seed globulins. The book concludes with important chapters on the assessment of the allergenicity of novel and GM foods, and the monitoring of and technological effects on allergenicity of proteins in the food industry.

Plant Food Allergens is an essential purchase for a wide range of scientists and clinicians including plant and agricultural scientists, chemists, allergy specialists, food scientists and technologists, pharmacologists, physiologists and nutritionists. Libraries in all research establishments and universities researching and teaching these subjects will need copies of this important book on their shelves

Contents
Preface: Historical and Cultural Background to Plant Food Allergens
Chapter 1: Food Allergies- Clinical and Psychological Perspectives
Chapter 2: The Classification, Functions and Evolutionary Relationships of Plant Proteins in Relation to Food Allergies
Chapter 3: The 2S Albumin Proteins
Chapter 4: Plant Lipid Transfer Proteins: Relationships between Allergenicity and Structural, Biological and Technological Properties
Chapter 5: The Cereal Amylase/Trypsin Inhibitor Family Associated with Bakers' Asthma and Food Allergy
Chapter 6: Latex Allergy and Plant Chitinases
Chapter 7: Profilins
Chapter 8: Bet v 1-homologous Allergens
Chapter 9: Plant Seed Globulin Allergens
Chapter 10: The Role of Common Properties in Determining Plant Protein Allergenicity
Chapter 11: Assessing the Alergenicity of Novel and GM Foods
Chapter 12: Monitoring of and Technological Effects on Allergenicity of Proteins in the Food Industry