(11/05)

Apples are the most widely grown and used fruit in Europe - but around 1 million people, especially in Mediterranean countries, are allergic to apple. However, researchers have now discovered that cooking apples with sugar ‘protects their allergenicity’.

In other words, when you subject apples without sugar to severe heat (100?C), there is a 30% decrease in the allergenicity of one of the most allergenic proteins found in the peel (Mal d 3). Mal d 3 causes histamine release and can cause anaphylaxis. However, if you heat them with sugar there is no reduction in allergenicity.

This discovery is not only of interest apple-pie- making allergy sufferers but is hugely important for the extremely large apple processing industry.

More details from the Institute of Food Research.

Click here for more research reports

Top of page