Study and Interlaboratory Validation of Simultaneous LC-MS/MS Method for Food Allergens Using Model Processed Foods

Food allergen analysis using LC-MS/MS has attracted attention in recent years because it can analyze multiple allergens at the same time and has high detection sensitivity and specificity. We have been actively researching for developing this testing method using LC-MS/MS. In this study, we developed the simultaneous detection method for allergens using LC-MS/MS and conducted an interlaboratory validation study in three laboratories to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed method. The study was conducted using two types of model processed foods: rice porridge and pancake. A total of nine allergens were targeted (wheat, egg, milk, peanut, buckwheat, crustaceans (shrimp and crab), walnut, and soybean). The results of the interlaboratory validation study showed that the qualitative and quantitative tests demonstrated good accuracy and, with the exception of a few allergens, exhibited a high level of agreement when compared with other laboratories. This indicates that the developed method is practical as a screening method for simultaneous detection of food allergens and can be applied to foods containing allergens.