Determination of Cow Milk Formula Allergenicity in the Rat Model by in vitro Mast Cell Triggering and in vivo IgE Induction

Abstract

The allergenicity of cow milk formulas was assessed in vitro by their ability to trigger prelabelled ³H-serotonin release from normal rat mast cells sensitized passively with rat reaginic anti-cow milk protein antisera. It was found that enzymatically hydrolyzed milk formulas had 1,000 (BEBA^HA) to over 100,000 (AL-FARE) times lower mast cell-triggering capacities than a standard milk formula (NAN). In vivo, these hydrolyzed formulas induced 100 (BEBA^HA) to 10,000 (ALFARE) times less IgE antibodies than the standard milk formula.