Germination results in reduced allergenicity of peanut by degradation of allergens and resveratrol enrichment

Abstract The germination process may produce bioactive compounds that could attenuate the antigenicity of peanut. However, it is poorly understood whether germinated peanut causes less severe immunogenic responses and if resveratrol is beneficial for the prevention of peanut allergy. In this study, allergen content and resveratrol production were measured during the germination process. Immunoreactivity was evaluated by immunoblotting and ELISA assay. The allergic activities of germinated peanut were determined by the mediator-release assay using RBL-2H3 cells. The results showed that the total protein content and the most allergenic proteins, Ara h 1, 3, and 2/6, were significantly degraded after germination. The IgE reactivity of five day-germinated peanut was significantly decreased as determined by immunoassay and mediator release assay. A lower concentration (1 nmol/L) resveratrol had an inhibitory effect on β‑hexosaminidase release. The degradation of allergens and resveratrol enrichment may be responsible for the lower allergenicity of germinated peanut.