Alternative proteins such as plant-based meats are often developed through novel processing technologies that create complex structures and matrix effects to provide desired food properties and functionalities. An efficient protein extraction method has been developed to overcome the challenges to accurate allergen testing in these products.
Regardless of the detection method used to test for allergens, reliable and sensitive allergen detection is dependent on the matrix type and efficiency of the protein extraction method. Complex food matrices and novel processing methods can complicate the protein extraction process.
Researchers in Singapore purchased plant based and fungi derived meat alternatives from a local supermarket, along with single-ingredient products including meat, eggs and vegetables. Baseline experiments tested five common extraction buffers and resulted in generally low efficiencies for the meat alternatives.
By pulverization prior to chemical lysis, extending the duration of heating and optimising buffer composition (5 per cent SDS), the researchers were able to enhance protein solubility and reproducibility in allergen quantification. The new extraction method achieved over 80 per cent efficiency across various food types, including plant-based meats and fungi-based proteins, improving the reliability of subsequent allergen detection.
The method, which is published in an Open Access article, proved to be reproducible in independent laboratories, suggesting it could be broadly adopted for evaluating allergen risks in the rapidly evolving alternative protein industry.
Reference: Lim, et al., 2025. Efficient protein extraction for assessing food allergy risk in complex alternative protein matrices. Food Chemistry, 463(2), 141221. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141221
