Production of Hypoallergenic Wheat Flour

Abstract

An allergenic peptide responsible for atopic dermatitis was isolated from the chymotryptic hydrolysate of gluten. The primary structure of the peptide was determined as (Ser-Gln-Gln-Gln-(Gln-)Pro-Pro-Phe)₄. The epitope in the allergenic peptide was Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro-Pro. The N-terminal glutamine and the two proline residues were essential for epitopic function. Based on this epitope structure, a practical method is proposed to produce hypoallergenic flour using food-processing enzyme. Soft flour was mixed with water dissolving actinase and then incubated at 37°C for 1 h. The product was determined to be negative allergenicity by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Hypoallergenic wheat products in the form of bread and pasta-like noodles were fabricated.