ARS | Publication request: Treatment of Natural Peanut Butter with Phytic Acid

Submitted to: Allergy and Immunology Meeting American Academy
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 1, 2007
Publication Date: March 14, 2007
Citation: Chung, S.Y., Champagne, E.T. 2007. Treatment of natural peanut butter with phytic acid. Journal of Allergy Clinical Immunology. 119(1)S118.

Technical Abstract: Peanut butter may be less allergenic if allergens in the butter exist as insoluble complexes that are not absorbed by the body. We determined that such complexes form in natural peanut butter that is treated with phytic acid. Commercial natural peanut butter (non-hydrogenated, creamy, oil-based, and shaken before use) was mixed with and without phytic acid calcium salt in a small volume of buffer/emulsifier. After centrifugation, a liquid layer or supernatant, was obtained and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and ELISA for IgE binding. SDS-PAGE showed that in contrast to the control, two major peanut allergens (Ara h 1 and Ara h 2) were hardly detectable in the supernatant of the treated peanut butter. IgE binding was also significantly lower than the control. This indicates that insoluble phytic-allergen complexes, which were previously confirmed and isolated in this laboratory, were formed in the treated peanut butter. It was concluded that treatment of commercial natural peanut butter (non-hydrogenated) with phytic acid resulted in the formation of insoluble phytic-peanut allergens complexes. Assuming that such complexes are not absorbed by the body, natural peanut butter suspended in a phytic acid solution should present a lower risk of allergic reactions than the regular one.