The hypoallergenic peanut, which does not cause an allergic reaction, may be just around the corner.
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Scientists working for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are reported to have told the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology that they are working on developing a peanut that will bring hope to people suffering from peanut allergies.
Dr Soheila J. Maleki of the USDA in New Orleans, Louisiana, told Reuters Health: “We thought, why not look at the peanut and see if we can find natural varieties that lack some or all of the protein-causing allergens. Then we could use conventional cross-breeding experiments to see if we can develop a plant that would produce a hypoallergenic peanut.”
Peanut allergies are a common cause of fatal or dangerous food intolerance. Consumers allergic to peanuts who become exposed to them, even through traces or in processed foods such as oils, can suffer life-threatening swelling of the lips and airways, sometimes allied to a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
No details have been released concerning the forecast time scale for the development of the hypoallergenic peanut. While the project is clearly in its infancy, its eventual potential to save lives is enormous.
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By GlobalData
