Herring (f205)0822
Herring (Clupea harengus L.) is a valuable commercial fish widely used in various processed forms: salted, pickled, smoked, and canned. It is rich in vitamin D, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and calcium. The main fishing areas are the northeastern and northwestern Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and coastal waters of Canada, the United Kingdom, Iceland, and Norway.
FEIA (Fluorescence Enzyme Immunoassay), ImmunoCAP (Solid-phase Immunofluorescence) – quantitative determination.
- Diagnosis of allergic reactions to herring.
- Assessment of sensitization level and risk of allergy development.
- Monitoring therapy effectiveness.
- Evaluation of sensitization level after allergen avoidance.
- Assessment of immune system status.
- Blood should be drawn in the morning on an empty stomach or 4 hours after eating.
- Drinking plain still water is allowed.
- Do not smoke for 30 minutes before the test.
- For children under 1 year – no food 30-40 minutes before the test; for children 1-5 years – 2-3 hours fasting.
The prevalence of fish allergy, particularly to herring, is higher in countries with intensive fish consumption and fish processing industries. Allergy manifests upon oral ingestion, exposure to vapors during processing, and skin contact. Symptoms include oral reactions, respiratory symptoms (asthma, sneezing, shortness of breath, runny nose), and contact dermatitis. The main allergen is Clu h1 (beta-parvalbumin), a heat-stable calcium-binding protein. Herring may cross-react with anchovies, sardines, Pacific herring, as well as parvalbumins from salmon, pollock, wolf fish, Baltic and Atlantic cod.