Päivi works currently as a post-doctoral researcher in the group of Cereal Technology in the department of food and environmental sciences of the University of Helsinki. Päivi’s research topic is on the analysis of gluten proteins in gluten-free foods. The studies have shown that in certain circumstances the immunological analysis methods are not able to accurately quantify gluten proteins. Problems occur especially with barley and oat containing food products, but also when quantifying gluten proteins modified by deamidation. Päivi’s research aims to improve the performance and accuracy of gluten-detecting methods. Päivi has recently defended her doctoral thesis ‘Immunochemical analysis of prolamins in gluten-free foods’. She was selected as the Coeliac Scientist of the year 2011 in Finland.

Kanerva, P., Brinck, O., Sontag-Strohm, T., Salovaara, H. and Loponen J. 2011. Deamidation of gluten proteins and peptides decreases the antibody affinity in gluten analysis assays. J. Cereal Sci. 53, 335-339.

Kanerva, P., Sontag-Strohm, T., Brinck, O. and Salovaara, H. 2011. Improved extraction of the prolamins for gluten detection from processed foods. Agric. Food Sci. 20, 206-216.

Loponen, J., Kanerva, P., Zhang, C., Sontag-Strohm, T., Salovaara, H. and Gänzle M.G. 2009. Prolamin hydrolysis and pentosan solubilization in germinated-rye sourdoughs determined by chromatographic and immunological methods. J. Agric. Food Chem. 57, 746-753.

Kanerva, P., Sontag-Strohm, T., Ryöppy, P., Alho-Lehto, P. ja Salovaara, H., 2006. Analysis of barley contamination in oats using R5 and ω-gliadin antibodies. J. Cereal Sci. 44, 347–352.

Kanerva, P., Sontag-Strohm, T. and Lehtonen, P., 2005. Determination of prolamins in beers by ELISA and SDS-PAGE. J. Inst. Brew. 111, 61-64.

Click the following link to view more publications of Dr. Kanerva:

https://tuhat.halvi.helsinki.fi/portal/en/persons/paivi-kanerva%28b3256164-e416-48c1-8f3c-236175ee995e%29/publications.html