This European Standard provides the overall framework of qualitative and quantitative methods for the determination of allergens and allergenic ingredients in foodstuffs using antibody-based methods. This European Standard specifies general guidelines and performance criteria for antibody-based methods for the detection and quantification of proteins that serve as a marker for the presence of allergy provoking foods or food ingredients. Other methods than those described may also detect and identify the proteins. Guidelines, minimum requirements and performance criteria laid down in the European Standard are intended to ensure that comparable and reproducible results are obtained in different laboratories. This European Standard has been established for food matrices.