Fatal reaction to peanuts to be investigated

A team of British scientists has launched an investigation into why peanuts put some people in peril.

The Southampton University team led by Professor John Warner hopes to pinpoint what it is within peanut proteins that can trigger a fatal allergic reaction.

It has received a £205,000 grant from the Food Standards Agency to carry out the two-year study, which will involve recruiting about 100 volunteers with peanut allergy.

Prof Warner, from the university’s Department of Child Health, said: ‘‘Peanuts contain many proteins of which up to 30 can stimulate an allergic reaction, but we believe only two or three of them are associated with the more severe reactions.

‘‘If we can identify what it is in these proteins that confers a risk of a severe reaction we could be taking a big step towards improving the quality of life for allergics and their families.’’

Peanuts were first introduced into the UK 50 years ago. Up to 2% of all people in the UK suffer from peanut allergy and around 10% of those who are allergic are at risk of a life-threatening reaction.

Just a minute amount of peanut protein can cause anaphylactic shock, coma and even death. Up to 10 people a year in the UK die after eating food containing peanut.

At present there is no way of predicting how severe a person’s reaction will be.

Adrenalin is the only effective treatment and most peanut allergics, including children, have to carry an injection kit around with them at all times.

Prof Warner believes the research will lead to the development of an effective test to identify those at risk of a severe reaction.

He added: ‘‘Apart from the cost to the NHS, the spectre of having a life-threatening reaction to accidental exposure to peanut and having to carry adrenaline around with you all the time is very stressful.

‘‘We believe it will be possible to reassure a large number of peanut allergic people that their next meal will not be their last.’’

The team hopes to develop a commercial test for the food industry so that dangerous peanut proteins can be detected removed from foods.