Changes in the Allergenicity of Saeujeot by Fermentation

The aim of this study was to observe the changes in allergenicity of saeujeot (salted and fermented shrimp) using a competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ci-ELISA). The fermentation conditions tested for saeujeot consisted of various temperatures (25, 15, and $5^{\circ}C$) and salt concentrations (25, 15, and 10%). When saeujeot was fermented at a low salt concentration and high temperature, the binding ability of mAb and shrimp-allergic patient serum to allergen was significantly decreased. In particular, the binding ability of mAb to allergen in saeujeot fermented with 10% salt at $25^{\circ}C$ for 5 days decreased to 5%. Also, the binding ability of shrimp-allergic patient serum to allergen in saeujeot fermented for 5 days with 10% salt at $25^{\circ}C$ was 8%. In conclusion, the binding of mAb and shrimp-allergic patient serum to tropomyosin in saeujeot decreased with longer fermentation periods, lower salt concentrations (10%), and higher temperatures ($25^{\circ}C$).