Abstract

Mass Spectrometry has progressively expanded its application field in the past decades thanks to the new advanced instruments placed on the market. MS-based methods offer a higher number of advantages over the DNA- and Antibody based assays, including increased confidence in allergen identification and possibility of multiplex analysis in one run. In addition the launch on the market of high speed MS instruments capable of performing fast analysis in short analysis time has allowed to intend MS also as a valid tool for the fast monitoring of allergen contamination in food commodities. 

Two case-study will be presented basing on different MS platforms, one employing SRM-MS acquisition scheme and the other exploiting advantages offered by full scan High Resolution MS acquisition mode for the targeted multiple detection of allergen- markers in complex food matrices. The properly selection of suitable and unique peptide markers enabled the fast and high throughput multiplex detection of allergenic proteins contaminating different foods.