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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #275489
Title: Heat and pressure treatments effects on peanut allergenicity

Author
item CABANILLAS, BEATRIZ - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item Maleki, Soheila
item RODRIGUEZ, JULIA - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item BURBANO, CARMEN - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item MUZQUIZ, MERCEDES - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item JIMENEZ, MARIA - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item PEDROSA, MERCEDES - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item CUADRADO, CARMEN - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria
item CRESPO, JESUS - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Y Technologia Agraria Y Alimentaria

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2011
Publication Date: 12/15/2011
Citation: Cabanillas, B., Maleki, S.J., Rodriguez, J., Burbano, C., Muzquiz, M., Jimenez, M., Pedrosa, M., Cuadrado, C., Crespo, J. 2011. Heat and pressure treatments effects on peanut allergenicity. Food Chemistry. 132:360-366.

Interpretive Summary: Peanut allergy is recognized as one of the most severe food allergies. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in immunoglobulin E (IgE) binding to peanut proteins produced by thermal-processing methods, including a high moisture and high heat treatment called autoclaving. Immunoreactivity to raw and thermally processed peanut extracts was evaluated by IgE immunoblot, and with skin tests in patients with clinical allergy to peanut. Roasted peanut and autoclaved roasted peanut were selected for IgE binding experiments, with serum from peanut allergic patients, immunoblot experiments with antibodies against peanut allergens (Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3), digestion experiments, and structure determination studies. These studies showed IgE immunoreactivity of roasted peanut proteins decreased significantly at extreme conditions of autoclaving. Structure experiments showed unfolding of proteins in autoclave treated samples, which makes them more susceptible to digestion, and caused a significant decrease in the IgE-binding capacity of peanut allergens.

Technical Abstract: Peanut allergy is recognized as one of the most severe food allergies. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in IgE binding capacity of peanut proteins produced by thermal-processing methods, including autoclaving. Immunoreactivity to raw and thermally processed peanut extracts was evaluated by IgE immunoblot, and skin prick tests in patients with clinical allergy to peanut. Roasted peanut and autoclaved roasted peanut were selected for IgE ELISA experiments, with individual sera, immunoblot experiments with antibodies against peanut allergens (Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3), digestion experiments, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed IgE immunoreactivity of roasted peanut proteins decreased significantly at extreme conditions of autoclaving. Circular dichroism experiments showed unfolding of proteins in autoclave treated samples, which makes them more susceptible to digestion. Autoclaving at 2.56 atm for 30 min produces a significant decrease of IgE-binding capacity of peanut allergens.