Genetically Modified Hypoallergenic Peanuts
Filed in archive Allergy: Research and Development , Food Allergies by ruth on November 30, 2006

that causes allergic reactions, the Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3 proteins are classified as important major allergens, causing allergies in more than 50 per cent of peanut allergic patients.A recent study of peanut genetics identified another gene, called ara h 3-im, which seems to have a low allergenic potential, and the scientists say that this gene may be used to genetically modify a peanut variety with the allergen Ara h 3 replaced by the non-allergen Ara h 3-im, thus making it hypoallergenic.
All these are still hypothetical, though, and it would still take years, if not decades, of research, to come up with a truly hypoallergenic peanut. Being genetically modified, it will raise other concerns, for sure, but at least, I'd like to see it at this point as a step in combating peanut allergies.
See the feature report from NutraIngredients.
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food+allergy peanut+allergy immunology genomics allergies genetically+modified modified+hypoallergen
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