Abstract: Three low-allergenic shrimp products, shrimp protein, crushed shelled shrimp and whole shelled shrimp were prepared by combined high pressure and enzymatic treatment. The allergenicity of these products was measured in vitro by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and by systemic anaphylaxis test in guinea pigs and Schultz-Dale test. A comparative analysis was made between the in vitro and in vivo results. The results showed that the three untreated shrimp samples had extremely high allergenicity, which was reduced by 97.0%, 94.1% and 94.5%, respectively after the combined treatment. In the animal tests using phosphate buffer saline as the negative control and untreated shrimp protein as the positive control, both the incidence of anaphylaxis and mortality in the untreated shrimp protein group were 100%. The incidence of anaphylaxis in the three low-allergenic shrimp products was likewise 100%, and the mortality of shrimp protein product, mashed shrimp product and shrimp meat product were 16.7%, 50% and 83.3%, respectively. The contractility of sensitized isolated ileum challenged by low-allergenic shrimp protein, mashed shrimp and shrimp meat products were increased by 376.9%, 766.2% and 1 004.4%, respectively compared with their untreated counterparts. According to these results, there were differences between in vitro experiments and animal experiments for allergenicity evaluation of low-allergenic shrimp products prepared by combined high-pressure and enzymatic treatment.

Key words: Litopenaeus vannamei, combined high pressure and enzymatic treatment, allergenicity, allergic shock, Schultz-Dale reaction