Sustainable Emerging Proteins: Allergenic Proteins in Edible Insects, Microalgae, and Microorganisms, and Desensitization Processing Technologies

As the global population continues to expand and demand for protein increases, alternative proteins (e.g., edible insect proteins, microalgae proteins, fungal or bacterial proteins) have emerged as a significant area of research interest due to their high nutritional value and sustainability. However, these novel protein sources may contain allergenic components, such as tropomyosin and arginine kinase in insects, phycocyanin in microalgae, and ribosomal proteins in fungi, which may trigger allergic reactions and cross-reactivity with traditional allergens. In this review, we systematically retrieved published studies from databases including PubMed and Web of Science, employing keywords such as microbial proteins, edible insects, and allergenicity. Articles were screened based on their relevance to allergenic properties and processing effects, with selected studies subjected to thematic analysis. The present paper reviews the allergenic properties of edible Insects, microalgae, and microorganisms' proteins and their molecular mechanisms, and explores the effects of various processing techniques (e.g., heat treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, high-pressure treatment, and glycosylation) on the reduction of allergenic activity. It was determined that the impact of processing methodologies is contingent on protein structure, with certain techniques having the potential to augment sensitization through epitope exposure. Furthermore, there are still gaps in the current research on the reduction in allergenicity of microbial and algal allergens, and future research should focus on the in-depth characterization of allergenic protein structures and the development of novel sensitization reduction techniques. This review provides a significant reference point for the safe development and rational application of edible insects, microalgae, and microorganisms proteins, which is of great importance for the development of sustainable food systems.