Another innovation: Allergen-Free Peanuts

Good news from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University researchers: they have discovered allergen-free peanuts through a simple process. This can be a relief for the millions peanut-allergy sufferers, and a boon to the peanut industry in the same time.

The causes of peanut allergies are not completely understood for now and they still cause up to 150 deaths from anaphylactic shocks per year. Peanuts, along with tree nuts, cause the most severe allergies of all allergies caused by foods, and they affect almost three million Americans, from which many are children.

Nutritionally, peanuts are very important. They are considered almost complete food, with all essential minerals and vitamins.

The inventor, Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna, also developed a process that removes mold toxins from peanuts, a high-protein meat substitute, antioxidants from red peanut skins, a low-fat substitute, and an infant formula. However, the allergy-free peanut is the first peanut innovation available in a portfolio for commercialization from N.C. A&T.

The industry suffers from keeping, labeling, and tracking for peanuts while schools and other institutions limit the peanut use due to public health concerns. Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna seeks to optimize the process in order to remove allergens from other foods too.

Food companies show a high interest in the new product that tastes the same and has the same quality as the peanuts, according to a N.C.A&T spokesperson.