ARRAY 10-Multiple Food Immune Reactivity Screen-Doctors Consult Included

The Cyrex Difference

Cyrex has developed a new way of testing for food immune reactivity. This method arises from a foundation of science and medicine. Array 10 – Multiple Food Immune Reactivity ScreenTM features 10 unique characteristics that set Cyrex apart from other laboratories.

1. Raw and Cooked
Array 10 assesses immune reactivity to raw and cooked food proteins. This reflects how foods are most commonly eaten. This is necessary because when food is heated or cooked, its protein structure changes. The foods being assessed should best duplicate what patients eat. Cyrex is the only laboratory to test for both raw foods which are eaten raw and cooked foods that are eaten cooked. An example of how heat changes the

integrity of food proteins is shown in Figure 2. Note the change in color of both the yolk and egg white in proportion to the length of cooking.

Figure 2. Effect of heat and time on egg proteins. Food proteins change when heated. Egg protein has been shown to change depending on length of cooking time.

2. Cross-Reactive, Pan-Antigen Isolates
   Specific food antigens are known to cross-react with human tissues. If a person makes antibodies to these specific food antigens, and the person has barrier permeability, those antibodies to the specific food antigen can begin attacking human tissue. This can result in tissue damage, autoimmune reactivity and eventually autoimmune disease. Some cross-reactive food antigens include, gliadin, casein, food aquaporin, shrimp tropomyosin, and fish parvalbumin. Pan-antigens are proteins that are common among multiple sources. Examples of pan-antigens include shrimp tropomyosin, fish parvalbumin and hevein found in latex and some fruits, nuts and vegetables. Tropomyosin is found in a variety of fish and crustaceans, which has been shown to cross-react with human tropomyosin. Fish parvalbumin is found in a variety of fish species and is known to cross-react with human parvalbumin.

3. Multiple Food Protein Interactions
   When food proteins are combined during processing, the antigenicity of the individual food proteins can change. In other words, a patient may not react to fresh dill or raw cucumber, but when dill is processed with cucumbers for making pickles, the patient may react to the dill pickle. Real-world diets include combined foods; some are obvious like imitation crab, while some are hidden as in the case of meat glue. Imitation crab is made up of Alaska pollock (MSC-Certified), water, pea starch, sugar, sorbitol, modified tapioca starch, king crab meat, natural and artificial flavor, extracts of crab, oyster, lobster, scallop, shrimp and fish (salmon, anchovy, and cutlass fish), refined fish oil (anchovy, sardine), sea salt, rice wine (rice water, koji, yeast, salt), hydrolyzed soy and whey proteins, autolyzed yeast extract, potassium chloride, sodium inosinate and guanylate sodium pyrophosphate, carmine, paprika, artificial color added. In Array 10, we assess

combined food proteins including meat glue, imitation crab, pickled cucumbers, canned anchovies + sardines, and fried potatoes.

4. Large Gum Molecules
   Gums (xantham gum, gum arabic, guar gum) are in many foods, especially gluten-free and dairy-free processed products. They can also be found in soups, juices, jams, salad dressings, soy products, dairy products such as milk and yogurt, and others. Gums are large molecules (200,000-5,000,000 Daltons) and parts of their molecules have the same molecule sequences as other food proteins; this is known as molecular mimicry. These can cross-react with other food proteins, causing an immune reaction in the patient.

5. Binding Isolates (Lectins and Agglutinins)
   Lectins are glycoproteins that bind carbohydrates, and agglutinins bind cells together. Lectins and agglutinins are found in about 30% of foods. Lectin is only one among hundreds of proteins found in beans, so it is normally not possible to accurately measure the lectin antibody when it is mixed with many other proteins. However, by using purified lectins, the most antigenic protein in beans, peanuts, etc., the testing becomes the most accurate and specific method to detect antibodies to these inflammatory food antigens. Array 10 includes lentil and pea lectins, as well as, beans, soybean and peanut agglutinins.

6. Tissue-Bound Artificial Food Colors
   Artificial food colorings are used extensively in foods, and humans are regularly exposed to them by ingestion. These chemical colorants form adducts (bonds or “bridges”) with proteins in humans; therefore, measuring the antibodies to these colorants will indicate whether or not they are responsible for a patient’s immune or autoimmune reaction. A patient may not react to a particular food; however, they may react to the food once its protein is bound with an artificial colorant. It is important to note that we are talking about food proteins binding to artificial food colorants, and vice-versa. The binding ofartificial colorants to a food protein may increase the food’s antigenicity and ability to cause an enhanced immune reaction in patients.

7. Amplified Antigenic Proteins and Peptides
   Array 10 includes specific proteins and peptides that are within the entire food proteins. Examples include shrimp tropomyosin and shrimp protein, cashew vicilin and cashew proteins, pineapple bromelain and pineapple proteins, and rice endochitinase and rice proteins. These antigens are highly purified recombinant proteins (proteins made via biomolecular engineering) and synthetic peptides (short chains of amino acids). By targeting specific antigens within the entire food proteins, Array 10 increases the sensitivity and specificity for food immune reactivity 

8. Oleosins
Cyrex tests for oleosins, which are the oil proteins found in seeds and nuts. Some patients may not have a reaction to the proteins in seeds or nuts such as sesame, peanuts, and others; however, they may react to the protein oil in a seed or nut. This is why a patient may react to both peanut and peanut oleosins, or may have a reaction only to peanut oleosins. In the latter case testing only for peanut and not peanut oleosins would give a false negative.

9. Meat Glue
Meat glue, also known as transglutaminase or thrombian, is a powder used in the food manufacturing industry to adhere smaller pieces of meat to make one large fillet, or to turn flakes of white fish into imitation crab meat, or form chicken scraps into nuggets. It is also used to thicken some milks, yogurts and egg whites. According to the packaging label on meat glue, there is also maltodextrin and sodium caseinate with transglutaminase.

10. Dual Antibody Detection System
Because both IgG and IgA isotypes are involved in the immune response, Array 10 measures IgG and IgA antibodies for each food item. Clinically, IgA is an indication of the mucosal immune response, and IgG is an indication of the circulatory immune response. By measuring both, this insures and enhances the detection of food immune reactivity.

In addition to the 10 Point System, Array 10 also incorporates Cyrex’s Core Quad of Standards, which ensures highly accurate results. 180 foods are tested.

If further information is needed please call the office at 800-333-9942 or 954-722-8086