Some strawberry and tomato varieties may cause allergies
Eating three portions of fruit and vegetables every day can be a difficult task, especially for those who suffer from allergies. Although strawberries and tomatoes are some of the most widely consumed fruits worldwide, recent studies have found certain varieties can cause allergies. They contain proteins that resemble the primary allergen in birch pollen, which can cause allergic reactions resulting in skin issues (urticaria or dermatitis), irritation of mucous membranes, a runny nose and abdominal pain.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) investigated which strawberry or tomato varieties contained the fewest allergens and how cultivation or preparation methods impacted them.
Led by Prof. Dr Wilfried Schwab from the Chair of Biotechnology of Natural Products, a team of researchers selected 23 tomato varieties and 20 strawberry varieties that differed in size, shape and colour to analyse the genetic factor for the expression of the allergenic protein in the fruits. They also analysed organic and conventional cultivation conditions, and how the fruits were processed including sun-drying, oven-drying and freeze-drying.
It was assumed that the concentration of the allergenic protein varies with the colour of the ripe fruit, the state of growth and the processing method.
The results showed that different varieties of the fruit and heat sensitivity were important factors in determining their allergy content, but cultivation conditions did not have as much of a role. For both types of fruit, the varieties showed significant variation in the concentration of the allergens. They also found that the fruits that were exposed to heat during the drying process were less likely to cause allergies.
About 1.5% of the population in Northern Europe and up to 16% in Italy are affected by tomato allergies, and around 30% of individuals who are allergic to birch pollen also report allergenic reactions to strawberries. However, the proteins in these studies could act as markers to help farm hypoallergenic tomato and strawberry varieties in the future.
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