Taking the allergen out of the peanut
Popular in food processing due to their rich content of fats and protein, peanuts are also one of the eight major food allergens. However, in a recent study from the Journal of Food Science published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), researchers from China found that seed germination could reduce the allergen level in peanuts.
The researchers found that by altering the natural process of germination by controlling certain environmental factors, peanut allergenicity could be reduced. The study specifically looked at temperature and light effects on Ara h1, a previously identified peanut allergen.
The authors concluded that short-term germination could be a relatively easy way to improve the food safety of peanuts and to produce hypoallergenic peanut food. They said that further studies are needed to assess the effects of germination on other major peanut allergens.
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