Will peanut allergy be a thing of the past? Scientists at the universities of Alabama A&M and Tuskegee are working towards this objective Photo: Meliha Gojak

Peanuts with reduced allergenicity are being developed by a team from the US universities of Alabama A&M, Vanderbilt (Tennessee), Tennessee State, and Tuskegee (Alabama).  

The group of scientists report a “significant” reduction in the immunodominant Ara h 2 protein in transgenic peanuts using RNA interference (RNAi) in a paper in Plant Biotechnology Journal.  Peanut allergy is one of the most life-threatening food allergies. Similar studies are being conducted by the team on allergens from tomatoes, soybeans, apples and rice, says Dr Koffi Konan of Alabama A&M University.
By Simon Varcoe

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