Use of the indirect competitive ELISA for the detection of Brazil nut in food products

Food related allergic reactions following inadvertent ingestion are increasingly common, with nuts, including Brazil nut, placed firmly in the top 10 food groups whose presence within a product should be declared. The presence of hidden allergens as a result of adulteration or contamination of ingredients presents a problem for both the food industry and the consumer. A sensitive and specific immunoassay for Brazil nut is described with a limit of detection of 1 ppm. Based upon the detection of the abundant 2S protein the assay is suitable for detection of raw and roasted Brazil nut in a range of food matrices.