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High-pressure and temperature autoclaving of peanuts reduces the proportion of intact allergenic proteins
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  • Casey Cohen,
  • Wei Zhao,
  • Liane Beaudette,
  • Duncan Lejtenyi,
  • Bertrand Jean-Claude,
  • Bruce Mazer
Casey Cohen
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
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Wei Zhao
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
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Liane Beaudette
Montreal Children's Hospital
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Duncan Lejtenyi
Montreal Children's Hospital
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Bertrand Jean-Claude
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
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Bruce Mazer
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

BACKGROUND Peanut allergy is a particularly common cause of anaphylaxis and utilization of hospital emergency room resources. Peanut protein allergens do not appear to denature under normal cooking conditions. We evaluated the effects of thermal processing on the protein allergens Ara h 2, associated with a risk for anaphylaxis, and Ara h 8, a protein analogous to birch pollen associated with oral allergy symptoms. METHODS Raw, roasted and autoclaved peanuts were evaluated. Solution 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to obtain molecular profiles and identify chemical changes across processing conditions. Western blot and ELISA analyses were used to detect relative levels of specific peanut allergens. RESULTS NMR analysis of peanut-soaked solutions demonstrated an overall reduction of total intact protein in autoclaved peanuts as shown by the broadening of peaks in the spectral regions corresponding to peptide fragments when compared to raw. The results also showed that autoclaving reduces the amount of allergenic proteins Ara h 2 (50% reduction) and Ara h 8 (100% reduction). Upon skin prick testing of allergic subjects, this differential degradation demonstrated that the autoclaved peanut could be used to categorize patients into two groups: those at risk for anaphylaxis and those who only experience oral symptoms to peanut (predominantly Ara h 2- and Ara h 8-specific IgE, respectively). CONCLUSION The data reported in this study suggest that high-pressure and temperature autoclaving reduces the amount of intact protein in the peanut, including allergenic proteins. This could be further developed into an improved diagnostic test for peanut allergy.