Enzymatic transformation of peanuts to reduce allergenicity.

Peanut Allergy Breakthrough: Can Enzymes and Roasting Reduce Reactions?

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Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 5 min read.

"New research explores how enzyme treatments and roasting techniques can make peanuts safer for those with allergies, potentially opening doors to improved food options and immunotherapy approaches."


Peanut allergies are a growing concern, affecting millions and often causing severe reactions. For those with peanut allergies, even trace amounts can trigger life-threatening responses, making the need for safer peanut products paramount. Recent research offers a glimmer of hope, exploring innovative methods to reduce the allergenicity of peanuts through enzyme treatments and roasting techniques.

Traditional approaches to managing peanut allergies have primarily focused on strict avoidance, which can be challenging and limit dietary options. However, new studies are diving deep into the molecular structure of peanuts, seeking ways to modify or eliminate the proteins that cause allergic reactions. This research is not just about creating safer snacks; it's about potentially changing the landscape of allergy management and even opening doors to new forms of immunotherapy.

The latest study, published in Food Chemistry, delves into the effects of using enzymes to break down allergenic proteins in peanuts, followed by roasting to further reduce their reactivity. This dual approach aims to tackle the major allergens responsible for triggering reactions, offering a potential pathway to making peanuts accessible to a wider population. As we explore these findings, we'll uncover the science behind this innovative approach and what it could mean for the future of peanut allergies.

Unlocking Peanut Safety: Enzyme Treatment and Roasting

Enzymatic transformation of peanuts to reduce allergenicity.

The core of the study focuses on a two-pronged approach: using enzymes to target and break down the major allergens in raw peanuts, followed by roasting to further reduce their immunoreactivity. Researchers treated raw peanut kernels with different enzymes, both individually and in sequence, and then subjected them to a roasting process. The goal was to evaluate how these treatments affected the levels of key allergens, including Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6, which are known to trigger the most severe allergic reactions.

The results showed that enzyme treatments alone significantly reduced the levels of these major allergens. Specifically, the study found that certain enzyme combinations could reduce Ara h 1 and Ara h 2 by up to 99-100% and 95-99% respectively. These reductions are substantial, suggesting that enzyme treatments could indeed make peanuts significantly safer for allergic individuals. However, the researchers didn't stop there. They also investigated the effects of roasting the enzyme-treated peanuts, which led to further reductions in some allergens, while slightly increasing others.

  • Enzyme treatments significantly reduced major peanut allergens.
  • Roasting further modified allergen levels, sometimes increasing Ara h 1.
  • Immunoblot tests showed reduced IgE-binding with treated peanuts.
  • The study opens doors for safer peanut products and immunotherapy research.
One of the key findings was that while enzyme treatments effectively reduced the major allergens, some residual allergenicity remained, particularly from Ara h 2. The researchers used immunoblot assays to test how IgE antibodies (the ones that trigger allergic reactions) bound to the treated peanuts. These tests confirmed that the enzyme treatments reduced IgE-binding, but the effect wasn't complete, indicating that some allergenic potential persisted. This highlights the complexity of peanut allergens and the need for multi-faceted approaches to fully mitigate the risk.

The Future of Peanut Allergy Management

This research provides a promising step forward in the quest to make peanuts safer for those with allergies. By combining enzyme treatments with roasting techniques, it may be possible to create peanut products with significantly reduced allergenicity. However, the study also underscores the need for further research to address the residual allergenic potential and to optimize these treatments for maximum effectiveness. As scientists continue to unravel the complexities of peanut allergens, we can expect to see even more innovative approaches emerge, potentially leading to a future where peanut allergies are no longer a life-threatening concern.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.02.119, Alternate LINK

Title: Changes In Immunoreactivity Of Allergen-Reduced Peanuts Due To Post-Enzyme Treatment Roasting

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Food Chemistry

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Nona Mikiashvili, Jianmei Yu

Published: 2018-08-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is the core focus of this study regarding peanut allergies?

This study focuses on using enzyme treatments to break down allergenic proteins in peanuts, specifically targeting major allergens like Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6. These treatments are followed by roasting to further reduce the peanuts' reactivity, aiming to make them safer for consumption by individuals with peanut allergies. The study also looked at how IgE antibodies (responsible for triggering allergic reactions) bound to the treated peanuts.

2

What were the key findings of the study in terms of allergen reduction?

Enzyme treatments significantly reduced the levels of major peanut allergens, such as Ara h 1 and Ara h 2, by up to 99-100% and 95-99%, respectively. Roasting further modified allergen levels, sometimes increasing Ara h 1, but on the whole, the treated peanuts showed reduced IgE-binding. Despite these reductions, some residual allergenicity remained, particularly from Ara h 2, highlighting the need for further refinement of these techniques.

3

Can you describe the methodology used in the enzyme and roasting study?

The study used a combination of enzyme treatments and roasting to modify peanut allergens. Raw peanuts were treated with different enzymes, both individually and in sequence, and then roasted. Researchers then measured the levels of key allergens, including Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6, and assessed how IgE antibodies interacted with the treated peanuts using immunoblot assays.

4

What are the limitations of the enzyme and roasting treatments according to the study, and what further research is needed?

While the combination of enzyme treatments and roasting shows promise in reducing peanut allergenicity, the persistence of some allergenic potential, particularly from Ara h 2, indicates that a multifaceted approach is necessary. Future research could explore optimizing enzyme combinations, refining roasting techniques, or incorporating other methods to fully eliminate the risk of allergic reactions. Additionally, further clinical trials are needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of these treated peanuts in allergic individuals.

5

What are the broader implications of the study's findings for peanut allergy management and future research directions?

The implications of this research extend beyond simply creating safer snacks. By demonstrating the potential to significantly reduce peanut allergenicity through enzyme treatments and roasting, it opens doors to developing new forms of immunotherapy and improving the quality of life for individuals with peanut allergies. Moreover, it underscores the importance of understanding the molecular structure of peanuts and the specific allergens responsible for triggering reactions, paving the way for more targeted and effective allergy management strategies.

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