Hypoallergenic peanuts may have moved one step closer to reality.
The stakes are high. Peanuts cause serious allergic reactions in about 1 percent of the U.S. population, equal to about 2.8 million people.
Researchers at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University have recently developed a process that reduces allergens in peanuts by 98 percent.
The effectiveness of the process was demonstrated in human clinical trials at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, using skin-prick tests, according to the university.
It’s not the only attempt at such a product, and there’s strong interest. Studies show the number of children living with a peanut allergy has tripled between 1997 and 2008, and for reasons not well understood. Highly sensitive children and adults can develop anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction, in as little as a few seconds from ingesting extremely small amounts.
It makes this area of research exciting — and also gives hope to many living with severe peanut allergies. But many believe it’s too early to hail this latest development as a success and wonder whether a truly hypoallergenic peanut is possible.
To read more about the latest research and the challenges of creating an allergy-free peanut, go to
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