Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds: Allergen Stability and Allergenicity of Processed Foods

Most severe allergic reactions, including fatal events, after ingestion of peanuts, soybeans and tree nuts have been reported. Allergens from legumes, nuts, and seeds are predominantly highly potent and stable to food processing. However, it is possible to alter the allergenicity potentially by various procedures. Heat treatments (dry heating, roasting, or baking) and enzymatic digestion affect the allergen structure. Although food processing usually induces at least partial loss of IgE-binding, the formation of neoallergens or release of cryptic IgEbinding epitopes can occur. The present review reports the allergenic and IgE-binding potentials, respectively, of experimental food preparations involving heat and enzymatic treatments and of various food products including peanut and soybean flour, roasted peanuts and nuts, and edible oils. Events of allergic reactions due to inadvertant ingestion of "hidden" allergens in food products are also reported. Available data lack systematic investigations of the allergenicity of foods throughout manufacturing processes from source to shelfproducts. Especially products containing peanut, tree nuts, and seeds should be evaluated since they are commonly seen as "hidden" allergens in various processed foods. (Internet Symposium on Food Allergens 2001, 3(3):119-33) food allergy allergen stability food technology peanut soybean hazelnut sesame seed