AN INSIGHTFUL study reports that autoclaving peanuts, a process combining high heat and pressure, significantly reduces their allergenic potential and improves oral tolerability in peanut-allergic individuals. Peanut allergy is notoriously persistent, partly because major peanut allergens are highly stable and resistant to conventional cooking processes such as roasting or boiling.
In this experimental and clinical study, researchers investigated whether autoclaving could chemically alter peanut proteins in a way that reduces immunoglobulin E (IgE) binding and clinical reactivity.
How Autoclaving Alters Peanut Allergenicity
Using protein assays, ELISA, and mass spectrometry–based proteomics, the researchers showed that autoclaving peanuts at 130 °C and 2.4 atm for 30 minutes led to substantial degradation of key allergens, including Ara h 1 and Ara h 2, and complete degradation of Ara h 8. Autoclaving fragmented peanut proteins into smaller peptides (<10 kDa), which were associated with a 74% reduction in IgE binding when tested against sera from highly peanut-allergic patients.
These biochemical changes translated into meaningful clinical effects. In skin prick testing of 41 participants, autoclaved peanut extract produced significantly smaller wheal responses compared with standard commercial extract (median of 5mm compared with median of 10mm). More strikingly, in double-blind oral food challenges, all 10 peanut-allergic participants tolerated the maximum cumulative dose of autoclaved peanut (444 mg), whereas reactions to standard peanut occurred at a median dose of just 9 mg.
Why Reducing Peanut Allergenicity Matters for Immunotherapy
The authors conclude that autoclaving induces structural changes in peanut proteins, such as fragmentation and reduced IgE binding, that markedly reduce allergenicity and improve tolerability. These findings highlight the potential of autoclaved peanut products as safer candidates for future peanut immunotherapy strategies, potentially offering improved efficacy with fewer adverse reactions.
Reference
Cohen CG et al. Autoclaved Peanuts Exhibit Reduced Immunoglobulin E Binding and Improved Oral Tolerability. Allergy. 2026;https://doi.org/10.1111/all.70208.
