Mike Morgan

Head of the School of Food Science and Nutrition
Professor of Food Biochemistry
University Leeds

Lecture for Students and Teachers

Title: Use of Immunoassay in Food Safety: Development and Application of an ELISA for Amygdalin, a Cyanogenic Glycoside

Time: Mar.25, 2016, 14:30 am.
Place: the No.3 lecture hall on the third floor of the conference center

Introduction to Prof. Mike Morgan

Mike Morgan is the Professor of Food Biochemistry and Head of the School of Food Science and Nutrition. Before joining the School at the end of 1999. Mike had been a Senior Principal Scientist at the BBSRC’s Institute of Food Research in Norwich, where he had worked for 20 years. Mike’s research interests are as follows:

Development of sensitive detection methods, particularly immunoassays, for the study of low molecular weight components and contaminants of plant-based foods in food and human tissues

Understanding more about food composition as related to plant secondary metabolites and low molecular weight food contaminants, and the effects of processing procedures on bioactivity and bioavailability

Understanding aspects of absorption and metabolism of dietary plant secondary metabolites, particularly the flavonoids

Understanding how interactions between food components can modify bioactivity and bioavailability

Utilisation of the techniques of food processing to enhance bioavailability of protective factors from plant-based foods; development of novel foods with enhanced health-related properties

Development of rapid and sensitive detection methods, particularly immunoassays, for food allergens; development of appropriate extraction techniques regarding preservation of aspects of protein epitope conformation

Research Highlights

Pioneering the extension of food science research to include human studies; seeing the results of his research become commercially-available; developing the 1st immunochemical method for a trace analyte (aflatoxin B1) to be given Official First Action Status by the AOAC International, USA; publishing the 1st recombinant antibody-based method validated for an agri-food application; developing what is still regarded (by the FDA, for example) as the best available method for detection of peanut protein; characterising, for the 1st time, key sesame allergens; setting up research groups that have gone on to become internationally-recognised; becoming only the 3rd person in 30 years at Norwich to achieve the status of Individual Merit Promotion for research activity; since coming to Leeds, supervising 13 research students to graduation and 7 current students (both as a joint and single supervisor).

Abstract

Amygdalin is a member of the cyanogenic glycoside group of plant secondary metabolites capable of generating hydrogen cyanide under certain conditions. As a consequence, the cyanogenic glycosides have been associated with incidents of acute and subacute food poisoning. Several important plant crops, such as cassava, barley, almond, cherry, macadamia nut, have been reported to biosynthesize and accumulate cyanogenic glycosides. Immunoassays are now widely utilized in food analysis for the determination of food contaminants and in the agrochemical industry for the detection of chemical residues in plants, water, and soil. In this lecture, Prof Morgan will describe the development, characterization, and application of an ELISA for the specific quantification of amygdalin in commercially available food products.

(School of Food and Biological Engineering)