UGA Researchers Seeking Allergy-Free Peanut

by Vincent Hampton
04/25/2008

There is good news from the College of Agriculture and Environmental studies for people who suffer from peanut allergies.

Researchers at The University of Georgia have recently been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture to further their research towards developing an allergen-reduced peanut.

There are multiple allergens in peanuts - Ara h 6, and Ara h 2. Ara h 6, and Ara h 2 are proteins found in peanuts that act as allergens to susceptible people. One of the challenges researchers face is reducing the amount of these proteins in the peanut, while leaving the plant fertile.

Peggy Ozias, a plant geneticist and horticulture professor said that so far she and her team of researcher have succeeded in reducing the amount of both the Ara h 6 and Ara h 2 allergens in peanuts they have modified.

Steven Knapp is a professor of Crop Science at CAES and his research focuses on specific genetic breeding. He has been working on allergen databases in conjunction with Ozias’ research.

“Yes, progress has been made,” he said in a telephone interview.

Knapp said that he and colleagues have completed a database of peanut allergens that is sufficient for Ozias’ work. They are now working on expanding that database.

Asked if these peanuts tasted like normal, unmodified peanuts, Ozias said, “At this point we are not allowed to sample.”