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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 #233557
Title: Chemical modification of IgE binding epitopes in roasted peanuts is more likely to contribute to altered IgE binding than structural changes.

Author
item Maleki, Soheila
item Nesbit, Jacqueline
item DYER, SCOTT - LSUHSC
item Cheng, Hsiaopo
item WILSON, BRIAN - LSUHSC
item KAZA, UJJI - LSUHSC
item BAHNA, SAMI - LSUHSC

Submitted to: United States Japan Natural Resources Protein Panel
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2008
Publication Date: 8/28/2008
Citation: Maleki, S.J., Nesbit, J.B., Dyer, S., Cheng, H., Wilson, B., Kaza, U., Bahna, S. 2008. Chemical modification of IgE binding epitopes in roasted peanuts is more likely to contribute to altered IgE binding than structural changes. United States Japan Natural Resources Protein Panel. 144-145.

Interpretive Summary: Over recent years legislation has been issued aimed at better safeguarding of the health of allergic consumers from accidental ingestion of allergenic foods. Meanwhile, no legislation or regulatory efforts have been put in place to establish standardized methods for food allergen extract preparations that are used for purposes ranging from diagnostic skin prick test (SPT) and Radio Allergrosorbent Test (RAST), to standards for detection methods. Our study shows that commercially available extracts are variable among companies that produce them, and therefore, can result in misdiagnosis of allergic patients by physicians. It is important to develop standardized food extracts for various diagnostic tests, such as, SPT and RAST, in addition to reagents used for detection of allergen cross contamination in food.

Technical Abstract: No legislation or regulatory efforts have been put in place to establish standardized methods for food allergen extract preparations that are used for purposes ranging from diagnostic skin prick test (SPT) and Radio Allergrosorbent Test (RAST), to standards for detection methods. Our findings suggested that the structural and functional changes due to food processing contribute to increased allergenic properties of peanut proteins, and may indeed enhance the possibility of becoming sensitized to peanuts. However, the majority of these analyses were carried out in vitro with the exception of mouse sensitization experiments. Therefore, in order to determine if roasting influences the immunogenic properties of differently processed peanuts in humans, skin prick tests (SPT) were performed on peanut allergic and non-allergic patients. Also, additional in vitro analyses were carried out to determine the contribution of structural changes to immunogenicity in allergic patients. We found that commercially available SPT extracts for peanut and other foods are often, 1) not processed in the form that they are ingested, and 2) variable among companies that produce them, and therefore, can result in misdiagnosis of allergic patients by physicians. It is important to develop standardized food extracts for various diagnostic tests such as SPT and RAST in addition to reagents used for detection of allergen cross contamination in food.