Lupin ELISA Kit

Lupin belongs to the legume family. With about 35-45% the fraction of proteins in lupin seed is very high. Some of these proteins, predominantly those in the alpha, beta and gamma-Conglutin fractions are known for being allergenic, due to cross-reaction to allergens of soy and peanut. Because of its convenient nutritional properties the use of lupin flour as a food ingredient is highly increasing. Lupin is often used in dietary products, especially for milk allergic people, vegetarians and patients with celiac disease. In food production three (sweet) lupin species are commonly used: Lupinus albus, Lupinus angustifolius and Lupinus luteus. For lupin allergic persons hidden lupin allergens in food are a critical problem. Already very low amounts of lupin can cause allergic reactions, which may lead to anaphylactic shock in severe cases. Because of this, lupin allergic per­sons must strictly avoid the consumption of lupin containing food. Cross-contamination, most­ly in consequence of the production pro­cess, is often noticed. This explains why in many cases the existence of lupin residues in food cannot be excluded. For this reason sensitive detection systems for lupin residues in food­stuffs are required. The Lupin ELISA represents a highly sensitive detection system for lupin and is particularly capable of the quantification of residues in sausage, bakery products, potato products, ketchup and juices. Due to high cross-reactivity the test is suitable for the detection of all commonly used lupin species.