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Copyright of Erwerbs-Obstbau is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fruit and vegetable allergies are prevalent commonly in adults, infants, and children all around the world, but more importantly in Europe and North America. The only solution is complete abstinence from the responsible food, which can be very difficult due to their presence in the form of hidden or undeclared ingredients. Various studies have shown the direct effect of processing on the secondary structure of proteins that can mitigate the allergic properties. The impact of these processing techniques on fruit and vegetable allergies have shown limited success due to the fact that they have multiple allergens that are especially heat stable. Apples, kiwi, peach, and melons are common fruits, whereas celery and carrot are the common vegetables that can result in allergic reactions for some portion of the population upon exposure. Abbreviations: IgE: immunoglobulin E, OAS: oral allergy syndrome, nsLTP: nonspecific lipid transfer proteins, LTP: lipid transfer proteins, HPP: high-pressure processing, PEF: pulsed electric field, CD: circular dichroism, pI: isoelectric point, DBPCFCs: double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Up to 6.6% of adults and 11.5% of children aged between 0 and 6 years are reporting a perceived fruit allergy. In the last group 8.5% perceived reactions against apple. To keep allergic reactions as low as possible and to make apple consumption more tolerable for patients allergic to apple, the Mal d 1 content of four apple cultivars ('Boskoop', 'Elise', 'Pinova', 'Santana' and 'Topaz') were analyzed, to identify apple cultivars with only a low Mal d 1 content. Further, the development of Mal d 1 content of low-allergenic cultivars should be investigated during long-term storage. RESULTS The lowest Mal d 1 content was measured for fruits of the cultivar 'Santana' at harvest, followed by 'Pinova' and 'Elise' after storage without 1- MCP. Nearly all fruits treated with 1- MCP had a significantly lower Mal d 1 content than fruits without 1- MCP, except for 'Boskoop' fruits after 44 weeks of storage. Apple cultivars with a low Mal d 1 content are not a cross of 'Golden Delicious' with another cultivar, with the exception of 'Pinova' which is a cultivar from the so-called 'Pi-series', which have a moderate resistance to scab and mildew. First experiments on tomatoes and peanuts have shown a reduction of allergic proteins in older and child generations after transfer of RNA. This reduction is probably based on an alteration of gene expression regulating the synthesis of allergic proteins, leading to changes in protein composition in the fruit. CONCLUSION Individuals allergic to apple should choose the described cultivars with relative low Mal d 1 content. If breeders want to breed cultivars with low allergy, they should avoid crossings with 'Golden Delicious'. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate differences in skin prick test response to apple cultivars in patients with apple allergy, 19 patients (10 adults and 9 children) underwent prick-to-prick skin prick test with eleven commercial and noncommercial apple cultivars, and evaluation of specific IgE to apple and recombinant apple allergens Mal d 1 and Mal d 3. The results show that different reactions might be evoked in a single patient by different apple cultivars and also separately for the peel and the pulp of a single cultivar. The cultivars were ranked according to their allergenicity level, being Jonathan, Jonagold, Golden Delicious and Fiesta the most allergenic when considering the pulp and Gala, Fiesta and Golden Delicious for the peel. Further investigations are needed to clarify if a single patient can be allergic only to well-defined apple cultivars and which allergometric tests are necessary to ascertain this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lipid transfer protein (LTP) has been reported as an important allergen inducing severe systemic reactions in allergic subjects. The aim of the present study was to estimate the role of LTP in diagnosis of apple allergy in children allergic to birch pollen. The prospective study was carried out on a group of 21 children sensitized to birch pollen and apple allergens, confirmed by presence of specific IgE in the sera of patients. Allergens separated by electrophoresis were probed by Western blotting using hypersensitive patients’ sera. Food hypersensitivity to apple was verified by oral food challenge test. Six patients’ sera were hypersensitive to birch pollen and apple proteins. Almost all sera recognized specifically the main allergen of apple peal Mal d 3 with molecular weight <10kDa (LTP). Positive oral challenge to apple was found in 52.4% of investigated children. Children allergic to Mal d 1 presented different clinical symptoms. Sensitization to Mal d 3 is very common in children with apple allergy. No correlation between clinical symptoms and sensitization to recombinant apple allergens has been found, LTP may be useful in diagnosis of apple allergy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Lipid transfer proteins (LTP) are stable, potentially life-threatening allergens in fruits and many other vegetable foods. The aim of this study was to clone and express recombinant apple LTP (Mal d 3), as has previously been done for peach LTP (Pru p 3) and set up quantitative tests for measuring fruit LTPs. Methods: cDNA for Mal d 3 and Pru p 3 was cloned, expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris and the resulting proteins were purified via cation exchange chromatography. The immune reactivity of rMal d 3 was compared to nMal d 3 by RAST (inhibition), immunoblotting and basophil histamine release testing. To obtain monoclonal and monospecific polyclonal antibodies, mice and rabbits were immunized with purified nMal d 3. Results: The deduced amino acid sequence of Mal d 3 was identical to the published sequence, Pru p 3 differed at two positions (S9A and S76H). The rMal d 3 had an IgE-binding potency and biological activity close to its natural counterpart. One sandwich ELISA selectively detecting apple LTP and another cross-reactive with cherry, nectarine and hazelnut LTP were developed. In addition, a competitive RIA was developed with polyclonal rabbit antiserum and labeled nMal d 3. Conclusion: rMal d 3 (as shown before for rPru p 3) may be a useful tool for application in component-resolved diagnosis of food allergy. Assays for the measurement of LTP will increase the traceability of this potentially dangerous allergen. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies showed that injection specific immunotherapy (SIT) with birch pollen extract greatly reduces or cures the associated apple allergy in a large proportion of birch pollen-allergic patients. However, the long-term efficacy of SIT for apple allergy has not been assessed. Objective: To evaluate the duration of the effect of injection SIT with birch pollen extract on apple allergy in birch pollen-allergic patients. Methods: Thirty birch pollen-allergic patients showing both the clinical disappearance of apple allergy and a negative SPT with fresh apple at the end of their injection SIT course were followed-up at 12-month intervals from 6 months after SIT was stopped. Apple tolerance as well as SPT was assessed on all occasions. Fifty-seven birch pollen-allergic subjects without apple allergy and not submitted to SIT regularly followed-up for the onset of oral allergy syndrome (OAS) were used as controls. Results: The overall prevalence of OAS after 30 months of follow-up did not differ between patients and controls. Although most patients became re-sensitized to apple by SPT over time, >50% of them were still able to tolerate eating the fruit at the 30-month follow-up visit. Conclusion: Although most patients show a ‘natural’, gradual propensity to apple re-sensitization (a consequence of prolonged and repeated inhalation of birch pollen responsible for primary sensitization?), the clinical effects of injection SIT on food allergy seem rather long lasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMost patients with birch pollen allergy report oral allergy symptoms after eating fresh apples and other vegetable foods. Major birch pollen and apple allergens, Bet v 1 and Mal d 1, are highly homologous; as a consequence, pollen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) might be expected to improve apple hypersensitivity. ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical and immunological effects of birch pollen SIT on oral allergy syndrome (OAS) induced by apples. MethodsA prospective study carried out in 49 birch pollen-sensitive patients with apple-induced OAS who received injection immunotherapy for 12, 24, or 36 months. Twenty-six patients not submitted to SIT and followed up for 12–48 months were used as controls. Both SPT and open oral challenges with fresh golden delicious apple were performed, as well as specific IgE measurements, before and after SIT. ResultsForty-one patients (84%) vs no control (0%) reported a significant reduction (50–95%) or a total disappearance (100%) of OAS symptoms after SIT (P < 0.001). Similar responses were observed in patients treated for 12, 24, or 36 months. SIT also induced a marked reduction in skin reactivity against fresh apple in 43 patients (88%). The effect of SIT was inversely related with baseline skin reactivity: 50% and 8% patients with a weakly or strongly positive baseline apple skin prick tests (SPT), respectively, did not report changes in OAS severity after SIT (P < 0.01). In contrast, baseline birch pollen-specific or apple-specific IgE antibodies levels did not influence SIT effectiveness on OAS. SIT induced a marked decrease in birch pollen-specific IgE levels (P < 0.001), whereas apple-specific IgE showed an unexpected variability (reduction in 21%, no change in 43%, increase in 38%). No control subject reported a reduction in OAS severity or showed a decrease in skin reactivity at follow-up (P < 0.001). ConclusionsSIT with birch pollen extracts effectively reduces clinical apple sensitivity and skin... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mal d 1 is not equally distributed over the apple. We aimed to examine the influence of the location of pricking in the apple on prick-to-prick skin prick test ( PTP) results. PTPs were performed in autumn 2007 and spring 2008, before the birch pollen season, in 32 Dutch adults with symptoms of oral allergy to fresh apple, using apples harvested in autumn 2007. PTPs with fresh intact and unpeeled Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Elise, Santana and Modi apples were performed using material obtained from approximately 2 cm near the stalk (top), and the middle region. All PTP responses were greater when performed with apple material near the stalk than from the middle region. In 2007, these differences were statistically significant for Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Elise, and in 2008, for Pink Lady and Modi. When performing PTPs, the apple should be pricked near the stalk rather than in the middle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Apple allergy is a well-characterized fruit allergies linked to pollinosis. • Concerning type and amount of allergens apple cultivars show broad biodiversity. • Five Mal d 1 isoallergens were tested for the first time against allergic patient's sera. • Besides apple varieties, differences among isoallergens and patients were found. Apple-related allergy is increasing among European population. Avoidance of apple fruit consumption is the only strategy for sensitized people, with a subsequent shortage of healthy nutrients in the diet. Four different protein families, Mal d 1 to 4, determine the allergy to apple causing syndromes known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS) or gastro-intestinal/generalized syndrome (GS) in sensitized patients. With the aim to highlight the dissimilarities in the immunological response inside the Mal d 1 family, recognized as main determinant for OAS, single purified allergens were tested against sera of paediatric and adult patients suffering for both syndromes. Here, we found that Mal d 1 isoallergens showed a remarkable different allergenicity potential, thus indicating an individual pattern in each patient and a diverse sensitization between age groups. Moreover, two different allergens, Mald 2.01 and Mal d 4.01, were analyzed with the above sera. In addition to patients and allergens variability, differences in amount and localization of the allergens, detected by patient's sera, were revealed among hypo- and hyper allergenic apple varieties, confirming the complexity of this food allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]