Recent advances of selected novel processing techniques on shrimp allergenicity: A review

Shrimp, belonging to the class Malacostraca and specifically to the order Decapod, is a common species in crustaceans with abundant nutrients, such as protein, amino acids, minerals, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, astaxanthin, and antioxidants. However, shrimp is considered as one of the “big eight” allergenic foods, which leads to a series of allergic reactions from mild to life-threatening in shrimp-allergic individuals. Tropomyosin is identified as shrimp's major allergen. Food processing techniques induce the structural changes in allergens to further affect shrimp allergenicity. Compared to conventional treatments (e.g. heating, steaming), novel processing treatments show superior effects in reducing shrimp allergenicity and retaining the nutritional value and sensory quality. This review discusses the epidemiology worldwide of shrimp allergy and the properties of shrimp's main allergens. It summarizes the latest findings of novel processing methods to lower the allergenicity of shrimps, including microwave, ultrasound, pulsed light, cold plasma, fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, high pressure, and a combination of several processing methods. Besides, current strategies and future therapies for patients are also discussed to better manage shrimp allergy. Shrimp allergy is a critical health issue with globally increasing prevalence. In the food industry, non-thermal processing techniques can modify allergen structures and meanwhile maintain shrimp physiochemical properties better than thermal techniques. Ultrasound processing is the most commonly discussed technique that effectively reduces shrimp allergenicity. Compared to when the novel processing technique was applied alone, a combination of several processing techniques applied sequentially can reduce shrimp allergenicity more efficiently and effectively. To date, studies focusing on the application of novel processing techniques to reduce/modify shrimp allergens are still scarce, and improved processing efficiency is also required in further research.