Quantitative immunohistochemical method for detection of wheat protein in model sausage

Abstract

Since gluten can induce coeliac symptoms in hypersensitive consumers with coeliac disease, it is necessary to label foodstuffs containing it. In order to label foodstuffs, it is essential to find reliable methods to accurately determine the amount of wheat protein in food. The objective of this study was to compare the quantitative detection of wheat protein in model sausages by ELISA and immunohistochemical methods. Immunohistochemistry was combined with stereology to achieve quantitative results. High correlation between addition of wheat protein and compared methods was confirmed. For ELISA method the determined values were r = 0.98, P < 0.01; for stereologythe determined values were r = 0.94, P < 0.01. Although ELISA is an accredited method, it was not reliable, unlike immunohistochemical methods (stereology SD = 3.1).