Introduction

The Allergome hosts now information useful for all professionals in the field of allergens, including biochemists, molecular biologists, clinical allergists, epidemiologists, basic researchers including those involved in animal models. The Allergome is not only dealing with human diseases. Data on allergens relevant for veterinary allergists are marked within the same page dedicated to humans. In order to summarize for the Allergome user all the info shown on each allergen page, the allergenicity scoring system has been created. It shows results in each allergen page by a very simple graphical interface (11 coloured dots). The same data used to categorize the allergen and produce the allergenicity score are also used for a very advanced search engine. At any time the Allergome user is able to retrieve the allergenic molecule lists which have been characterized at the desired search level.

Tools

With the aim of improving the way to search the Allergome, the RefArray search engine has been developed. RefArray gives the Allergome user the chance to have a cross sectional view on Allergome data. Along with the RefArray, other web Allergome resources like the ReTiME database, the AllergomeAligner, and the AllergomeConsumer, or the local software like InterAll, the Allergome cross-linked electronic record for allergic patients, have been released. All these tools transformed the original Allergome repository for allergenic molecules in a real web-based platform. It is a new way to be informed, to inform, and to generate knowledge. For that, several important studies have been run in cooperation with the Allergome, all documented in the literature and with links in the Allergome home page. Some studies are still running and some have just started. Starting January 2011 the Allergome is cross-referenced by the Uniprot Knowledgebase, the largest protein repository worldwide. The Uniprot is used to retrieve highly homologous proteins which, flagged in the Allergome as in silico generated, expand our understanding on allergens through data generated by scientists outside the allergy field.

Impact

As time passed by the Allergome has attracted increasing interest worldwide. During the last 12 months almost 15,000 unique visitors from 140 Countries visited the Allergome at least once. The Allergome has been cited in 212 papers during the time and almost other 100 used it, though without citing the Allergome as the source. For that we kindly ask users to follow the Creative Commons License rules. To access the site and find more information please click here To read their 10th Anniversary Report click here

FAO

http://www.fao.org/infoods/ EuroFIR acts as the main contact point for collection of feedback from the INFOODS network on analytical methodology.

Codex Alimentarius

http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp Work related to the Codex Alimentarius Commission which was set up by FAO and WHO to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.

INFOODS

http://www.fao.org/infoods/ The International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS) is establishing and coordinating a global network of regional data centers directed toward the generation, compilation and dissemination of accurate and complete data on food composition. It is also the generator and repository of special international databases and serves as a general and specific resource for persons and organizations interested in food composition data on a worldwide basis. Its Secretariat has developed the necessary software for the electronic storage of food composition data and its interchange among databases.

EFSA

Several future joint activities were identified so far and possible funding support also already discussed with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). http://www.efsa.europa.eu/

MONIQA

The Monitoring and Quality Assurance in the Food Supply Chain (MoniQA) project. http://www.moniqa.org/

The Network for Capacity Development in Nutrition – Central and Eastern Europe (NCDN CEE)

http://www.agrowebcee.net/ncdn/

Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)

ERM-BD600 is available for sale: https://irmm.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Pages/rmcatalogue.aspx The certification report is available at: https://irmm.jrc.ec.europa.eu/refmat_pdf/ERM-BD600_report.pdf