Potencial alergénico de alimentos derivados de plantas transgénicas.

MARIA ELENA ALVAREZ

ALERGIA E INMUNOLOGÍA CLÍNICA

SOC ALERGIA INMUNOLOGIA

Año: 2003 vol. 20 p. 109 - 109

0328-2872

he production of genetically modified crops increased substantially in the last decades. Such crops harbor transgenes introducing improvements (greater yield, nutritious quality) or new characteristics (capacity to produce vaccines) that in some cases could not be incorporated by traditional breeding. The adoption of transgenic crops requires investigating in detail potential adverse effects they may cause on the environment or human health. In relation to this last topic. the main concern refers to the introduction of allergenic proteins into genetically modified food. Although there is no method allowing to unequivocally determine whether a protein (whatever is its origin) produces allergic reactions in humans, diverse approaches are used altogether to evaluate such risk. They are considered. among otberfaaors, the origin ofthe protein, its homology untb known allergens, reacticity with serum of allergic patients and resistance to to proteolytic degradation. Transgenic food that exh