Edible algae allergenicity - a short report

The use of seaweed and algal derived products in the food industry has grown rapidly in recent times. Major areas of expansion have been in Western countries where algae derived commodities are being utilised as edible foods or sources of high value ingredients. However, studies focused on potential allergenicity attributed to these food items, prevalence of allergenicity, and public health awareness are limited. Therefore, the current research summarises the existing literature focused on algal induced allergy in humans. Of the available literature, a total of 937 titles were identified, and 33 articles underwent subsequent full-text screening. Most research focused on prevalence and were derived from studies conducted in Europe (58%), North America and Canada (33%), and the remainder Australia and South Korea (9%). No studies addressed the need for public education or labelling of algal products. Our review reports that the available evidence identified points to algal derived products as being potential sources of allergens in the human food chain. Several components have been characterised that are shown to induce allergic responses in humans. Few studies have assessed the prevalence of algal allergenicity in the general population and as such further research is warranted given the increased usage of these products in the food industry.