Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. Peanuts can cause severe allergic reactions, which can be potentially fatal. It is advised that persons with peanut allergy must carry an epinephrine auto-injector to avoid anaphylactic shock. Make sure to read labels carefully if you have a peanut allergy.
According to a study from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, allergies to peanuts are increasing amongst children. The study showed that the number of children with peanut allergies more than tripled between 1997 and 2008. Research in the UK and Canada showed similar increases.
Allergies to peanuts usually last a lifetime, which can be very inconvenient and can cause people to miss many types of foods that are made with or contain peanuts.
Peanut allergy sufferers will see relief soon, as North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University scientists have developed a way to process peanuts to get rid of 98 percent of allergens. Allergen-free peanuts are on their way.
The effectiveness of the allergen reducing method was tested with human clinical trials using skin prick tests at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
According to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), food allergies cause over 300,000 emergency hospital visits by children under 18 each year, causing over $25 billion in health care costs. This new method of removing allergens from peanuts could save up to 200 deaths from peanut allergies every year and save huge amounts of money on health care.
The best news is that the peanut method is GMO-free. As reported by Food Safety News:
There is no timetable yet for when the peanuts will be commercially available, but North Carolina A&T Vice Chancellor Wayne Szafranski says that Xemerge (the Canadian company that owns the patent) “are going to be very aggressive at approaching manufacturers.”
Note: None of the information in our website is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. The content on our website is for educational purposes only.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Allergy-Free, Non-GMO Peanuts Are Coming Soon to a Store Near You.” TakePart. TakePart, 10 July 2015. Web. 18 July 2015.
2. “Hypoallergenic Peanuts Move Closer to Commercial Reality.” Food Safety News. Food Safety News, 10 June 2014. Web. 18 July 2015.
3. “Food Allergies in Schools.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 18 July 2015.
4. “Peanut Allergy.” FARE. Food Allergy Research & Education, n.d. Web. 18 July 2015.
5. “US Prevalence of Self-reported Peanut, Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergy: 11-year Follow-up.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 12 May 2010. Web. 18 July 2015.
