Hypoallergenic Legume Crops and Food Allergy: Factors Affecting Feasibility and Risk

Abstract

Currently, the sole strategy for managing food hypersensitivity involves strict avoidance of the trigger. Several alternate strategies for the treatment of food allergies are currently under study. Also being explored is the process of eliminating allergenic proteins from crop plants. Legumes are a rich source of protein and are an essential component of the human diet. Unfortunately, legumes, including soybean and peanut, are also common sources of food allergens. Four protein families and superfamilies account for the majority of legume allergens, which include storage proteins of seeds (cupins and prolamins), profilins, and the larger group of pathogenesis-related proteins. Two strategies have been used to produce hypoallergenic legume crops: (1) germplasm lines are screened for the absence or reduced content of specific allergenic proteins and (2) genetic transformation is used to silence native genes encoding allergenic proteins. Both approaches have been successful in producing cultivars of soybeans and peanuts with reduced allergenic proteins. However, it is unknown whether the cultivars are actually hypoallergenic to those with sensitivity. This review describes efforts to produce hypoallergenic cultivars of soybean and peanut and discusses the challenges that need to be overcome before such products could be available in the marketplace.

Allergenicity attributes of different peanut market types

“…Some exotic, naturally occurring, peanut varieties that have clearly different allergenicity attributes have been described in literature (Krause et al, 2010;Ramos et al, 2009;Schmidt et al, 2009), but these peanut types are not commonly consumed in Western countries. Using genetic modification, attempts were made to develop new varieties of peanut that are low in certain allergens (Chandran et al, 2015;Chu et al, 2008;Knoll et al, 2011;Riascos et al, 2010). None of these peanuts are commercially available or used by the food industry in the U.S. or other Western countries.…”

Study of the effect of instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) treatment on IgE-reactive legume-protein patterns by electrophoresis and immunoblot

“…Legumes have desirable characteristic such as abundance of carbohydrates, ability to lower the serum cholesterol, high fiber, low fat, high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and a long shelf life (Scarafoni, Magni, & Duranti, 2007). Despite these advantages and their nutritional value, legumes have an unfavourable property that they are also an important source of food allergens (Riascos, Weissinger, Weissinger, & Burks, 2010).…”

“…Moreover, proteases and protease inhibitors, oleosins and other proteins, such as seed-specific biotinylated proteins, hull proteins, plant-specific proteins and lectins, can also be allergens in legumes (Breiteneder & Radauer, 2004;Riascos et al, 2010;Radauer & Breiteneder, 2007).…”

A Possible Hypoallergenic Cereal in Wheat Food Allergy and Baker’s Asthma

“…Developing a selection of low allergenic plant cultures, removing allergens by genetic modification, and new food processing methods are possibilities to lessen cases [3,4].…”

“…Some strategies have been used successfully in producing cultivars of soybeans and peanuts with reduced allergenic proteins [3]. Spelt, also known as Dinkel, is an early form of wheat, originated near the Caspian Sea.…”