Abstract
Tree nuts are one of the most frequently foods involved in allergic reactions. Pistachio and cashew nuts present a large number of nutritional properties and human health benefits. However, they contain allergenic proteins, which causes them to be removed from the diet of allergic people. Former evidences have demonstrated that food processing (thermal and non-thermal) can produce structural and/or conformational changes in proteins by altering their allergenic capacity. In this study, the influence of pressure and thermal processing through Instant Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC) on the pistachio and cashew allergenic capacity has been analyzed. This has been carried out by analyzing their protein content, the electrophoretic profile and immunodetection by using IgG antibodies against potentially allergenic proteins and IgE antibodies from patient sera who have sensitization to both nuts. The results of this study support that the DIC process causes changes in the electrophoretic pattern, reducing the number and intensity of protein bands, as the pressure and temperature treatment increment. That results in a remarkable decrease of the detection of potentially allergenic proteins. The harshest conditions of DIC (7bar, 120s) markedly reduce the immunodetection of allergens, not only by using IgG (anti-2S and anti-11S), but also by using IgE. Such immunodetection is more reduced in pistachio than in cashew nuts, but is not completely removed. Therefore, cashew proteins are possibly more resistant than pistachio proteins. This makes DIC a suitable technique in order to obtain hypoallergenic pistachio and cashew.
