Apple allergens as affected by cultivation technolog and variental factors

Abstract

Our objective was to study the effect of organic farming and area of cultivation on the allergen content of apple varieties by quantification of the major allergens (Mal d 1 and Mal d 2) using allergen-specific ELISA. The obtained results showed that except Idared IX. 29. most of examined varieties, when cultivated under organic farming conditions, contained lower level of Mal d1 allergen than those produced with integrated farming. The different varieties were found to vary substantially in theirMal d 1 allergen content. Furthermore, with some varieties the area of cultivation affected to some extent the content of Mal d 1 allergen.

New Mass Spectrometric Approach to Quantify the Major Isoallergens of the Apple Allergen Mal d 1

“…The (small) variations in Mal d 1 contents between both are probably related to inter-fruit variability and the integrated (Magic Star) and organic (Natyra) cultivation. However, the data do not support the findings of Takács et al, which proposed lower Mal d 1 contents in apples from organic farming . The data reported by Siekierzynska et al also do not support a trend to lower Mal d 1 contents in the same variety when the fruits are grown under organic farming conditions …”

Impact of Cultivation and Storage Conditions on Total Mal d 1 Content and Isoallergen Profile in Apples

“…In three of them ('Prima IX 1', 'Remo IX 29', and 'Topaz IX 29'), the Mal d 1 contents were significantly higher in apples grown under IP conditions than in samples from ORG; however, it was the reverse in the fourth variety tested ('Idared IX 29'). 23 The recovery of ESTD did not differ between ORG and IP, supporting the assumption that the extraction efficiency of the proteins is strongly dependent on the polysaccharide content, which is not affected by the cropping system. Furthermore, no impact of the cropping system on the isoallergen profile was obvious (Figure 2).…”

“…Since Mal d 1 is assumed to be stress-induced, this observation is often attributed to agrochemicals reducing biotic stress . Nevertheless, there are also contradictory results in other studies, where in fruit from ORG, lower Mal d 1 contents were observed than in fruit from integrated production (IP; use of agrochemicals is allowed if necessary but it should be reduced to the required minimum), , which is attributed to higher stress in plants when agrochemicals are utilized.…”

“…Furthermore, biological replicates experience individual stressors and therefore might differ in their allergen content . Differences among individual fruit are often not taken under consideration when quantifying the allergen content, since usually homogenized and pooled samples are used. , For oral provocation challenges, often information about the sample size is missing, but a low number of individual apples must be assumed since in most cases, whole fruit pieces are given to the patients. , In a standard procedure for oral provocation tests , often the complete challange is conducted with a single apple per patient . This might be responsible for the discrepancies between the results of oral provocation studies and the analytical data.…”

Apple allergy: Causes and factors influencing fruits allergenic properties–Review

“…A point of interest is that organic farming weakened Mal d content, 52 unfortunately, commercial varieties with a significantly reduced resistance to apple diseases are not suitable for this type of crop. We should focus our attention on old varieties, in which a significant resistance to fungal diseases is observed, making them suitable for organic farming that is getting modern nowadays.…”