Quantitative and kinetic analyses of peanut allergens as affected by food processing

Authors: SHI, MENG - Mississippi State University; LI, JIAXU - Mississippi State University; CHANG, SAM - Mississippi State University; Maleki, Soheila

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2019
Publication Date: 1/17/2019
Citation: Shi, M., Li, J., Chang, S., Maleki, S.J. 2019. Quantitative and kinetic analyses of peanut allergens as affected by food processing. Food Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2019.100004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2019.100004

Interpretive Summary: Before this study, mathematical equations have not been applied to assess the changes of soluble allergen (extracted from processed peanuts) content as a function of processing time under various thermal processing methods. Also, it was not well known about the immunoreactive properties of water-soluble/water-insoluble allergens in peanut processed by commonly used methods (such as high-pressure processing, steaming, boiling, microwaving, roasting, frying) within palatable texture ranges. In this study, a commercial market type peanut variety (Virginia Jumbo) was analyzed under various processing conditions that produced palatable peanut texture. The mathematical equations that characterized how the major water-soluble allergen content changes during processing was conducted and it was useful for understanding and predicting the effects of processing on water-soluble allergen levels. The major constituents of peanuts, including moisture, lipid, protein, ash and carbohydrate, were analyzed under various processing treatments. The allergen immnoreactive properties of the peanut allergens were analyzed following the different processing methods.

Technical Abstract: Peanuts contain four major allergens with differences in allergenic potency. Thermal processing can influence the allergenic properties of peanuts. Until now, a kinetic model has not been reported to assess the changes of soluble allergen (extracted from processed peanuts) content as affected by various thermal processing methods. Our objective was to characterize the reaction kinetics of the thermal processing methods, including wet processing (boiling with/without high-pressure, steaming with/without high-pressure), deep-frying and dry processing (microwaving and roasting) using five time intervals. The relationships between processing time and extractable major allergen content could be explained by a simple linear regression kinetic model (except high-pressure steaming). Among all methods with optimal processing point, frying for 6 min had a relatively lower IgE binding (linear epitopes) ratio, possibly due to the processing conditions, which caused break down, crosslinking and aggregation of Ara h 2, and a relatively lower solubility.