Quantification, Risk Assessment, and Mitigation of Cashew Allergen Cross-Contact in Shared Roasting Oil Systems

ABSTRACT: Allergen cross-contact in food production should be minimized to protect food-allergic consumers. Processing operations using shared cooking media, including shared roasting or frying oil, present multiple uncertainties related to allergen cross-contact. The quantity of allergen transferred to oil and subsequent products is unknown, and the effectiveness of oil cleaning methods on allergen removal has not been evaluated. In this study, bench-scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the amount of total cashew protein transferred to oil after frying (138 °C, 10 minutes or 168 °C, 3 minutes) and to products (peanuts and potatoes) subsequently fried in shared oil. After frying 15 batches of cashews (100 g/batch in 1 L of oil), 70-130 ppm total cashew protein was quantified in oil using a targeted mass spectrometry method. Peanuts or potato chips processed in oil after cashews were found to contain 23.0 and 193.5 ppm total cashew protein, respectively. Quantitative safety assessments indicated that these concentrations could represent health risks to cashew-allergic individuals. Nine oil cleaning methods were compared, and results showed that 11-micron filters, 25-micron filters, and diatomaceous earth used with commercial filters were the most effective treatments. All three treatments could reduce cashew protein concentration from more than 200 ppm to less than 10 ppm. Risk reduction calculations demonstrated that with appropriate control measures, the risk associated with cashew allergen cross-contact in frying oil can be substantially mitigated. The data obtained in this study can help food manufacturers and foodservice providers design effective allergen controls to better protect food-allergic consumers.

ORGANISM(S): Anacardium Occidentale

SUBMITTER: Melanie Downs  

PROVIDER: PXD066242 | panorama | Mon Dec 08 00:00:00 GMT 2025

REPOSITORIES: PanoramaPublic