Steve Taylor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus & Founding Director Food Allergy Research and Resource Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (retired)
Steve L. Taylor, Ph.D. served as Professor in the Dept. of Food Science & Technology and founder and Co-Director of the Food Allergy Research & Resource Program (FARRP) at the University of Nebraska. FARRP is a food industry-funded consortium with more than 90 member companies headquartered in 11 different countries. Dr. Taylor received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in food science and technology from Oregon State University and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of California – Davis. Dr. Taylor initiated his professional interest in food allergies and sensitivities in 1980. He maintains an active research program on detection methods, threshold doses, risk assessment, and other aspects of food allergies.
Steve Taylor has spoken at the following Global Food Forums Events:
2018 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar — Technical Program: Formulating with Proteins
“Food Allergies: A Challenge for Current and Emerging Proteins”
The food industry has been reasonably well versed in the basics of food allergies including hazards and control steps. However, the food supply is changing. Consumers are attracted to emerging sources of protein and entrepreneurial food companies market exciting, nutritious, but nontraditional ingredients in their foods and beverages. In some products, the level of protein is comparatively high. While proteins add value to new food products, they can also occasionally lead to the development of food allergies in some consumers. This presentation will provide a greater understanding of the potential allergic risks associated with current and novel protein sources. Consumer risks are low and manageable with adherence to good labeling practices. And, new clinical approaches to increasing protein tolerance in infancy will be discussed.
2015 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar — Technical Program: Formulating with Proteins
“Allergens – It’s Really Just a Management and Communications Issue”
Almost all food allergens are proteins. Fortunately, most food proteins are not allergens. In food manufacturing, allergen control starts with product development. Many food companies seek to limit the development of new food products containing major allergenic foods such as peanut, tree nuts (e.g. walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.), milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soybeans, and cereal sources of gluten. And increasingly food companies seek to develop gluten-free, dairy-free and other free-from products. In such circumstances, a search is often made for alternative protein sources that are “not allergens.” Scientifically speaking, this is probably a fruitless effort because the likelihood that a novel protein source will become a novel allergenic food is directly related to exposure. If a company develops a highly popular new food product that contains a novel protein source, that food is likely to become allergenic simply because of its widespread, frequent consumption. But smart choices can be made. Find out how.