According to an Oxford University study, involving mice, roasted peanuts are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction than raw peanuts.
Scientists say chemical changes caused by dry roasting processes may prime the body’s immune system – sparking future allergic reactions.
However, much more work is needed before humans should consider swapping roasted nuts for raw ones, they say.
The research appears in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Mice were exposed to peanut proteins through the skin or the stomach.
Roasted peanuts are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction than raw peanuts
Animals given the dry roasted samples had a much stronger immune response – the body’s way of fighting things that appear foreign to it – than mice given the raw versions.
In humans, immune responses vary. Some can be mild, causing rashes for example, but others can be extremely dangerous, leading to swelling of the mouth and breathing difficulties.
Scientists say it is likely to be the high temperatures used to roast nuts that are responsible for the chemical changes that, in turn, prompt the allergic reactions.
Prof. Quentin Sattentau, who led the research, said: “This is the first time, to our knowledge, that a potential trigger for peanut allergy has been directly shown.”
And researchers believe the findings may explain the lower allergy rates in East Asian populations where boiled, raw or fried nuts are a more common part of the diet than roasted ones.
However, they warn that much more work is needed before doctors make any specific dietary recommendations.
Prof. Quentin Sattentau said: “We know that children in families with other allergies are more likely to develop peanut allergy.
“However our research is at an early stage and we think that it would be premature to avoid roasted peanuts and their products until further work has been carried out to confirm this result.”
Scientists are now exploring methods to get rid of the particular chemical changes that may be responsible for kick-starting the immune system.
People with peanut allergies are advised to avoid them and many carry auto-injector pens to reduce the severity of any reactions that do occur.
Shanyna Isom, an university student from Memphis, has been labelled a medical mystery after falling victim to an unidentified illness which causes human nails to grow out of her hair follicles.
Shanyna Isom, 28, suffered an allergic reaction three years ago which caused the debilitating syndrome which has left her struggling to walk and carry out daily chores.
The young woman was left covered in hard scabs as “nails” replaced the hair on her body and doctors are still in the dark about how to cure her mysterious illness.
Shanyna Isom lives with her family in Memphis and was in her first year at university when the nightmare began.
In September 2009, Shanyna Isom was prescribed steroids after suffering an asthma attack and within hours the law student was “itching” all over her body.
Soon black bumps covered her legs and doctors treated her for everything from eczema to Staphylococcal infection to no avail.
Shanyna Isom has been labelled a medical mystery after falling victim to an unidentified illness which causes human nails to grow out of her hair follicles
Shanyna Isom became bedridden as the illness took over and doctors tried to determine what was wrong
In 2011 she began treatment in Baltimore where doctors established that the bumps were in fact human nails slowly covering her body.
Shanyna Isom produces 12 times the normal number of skin cells per hair follicle, suffocating her skin.
“Where hair grows, nails are growing,” Shanyna Isom told WAFB news.
Today doctors have yet to diagnose her but have been able to control her symptoms.
“I couldn’t sit up and I couldn’t walk, but now I can walk with a cane and sometimes I can walk on my own.”
The criminal justice major describes it as a nightmare she is trying to wake up from.
“They’ve tested me from A to Z and everything was coming back negative.
“As of right now, I am the only one in the world with my illness.”
The illness has left Shanyna Isom and her family deep in debt as state-issued insurance does not cover her care at the specialist unit she attends in Baltimore and only covers five of the 17 medications she is prescribed.
The family savings accounts are dry and her outstanding medical bills are currently up to $250,000.
Shanyna Isom has set up the S.A.I Foundation to raise money for her treatment but fears she may not be able to continue.
She relies on family and friends for financial help and they have rallied around her for support.
“At this point I just do everything I can to get the help that’s needed for her,” her friend Tolungia Webb said.
Shanyna Isom hopes that the foundation will be able to raise enough money to cover her medical bills and help others in the same situation.
She said: “If it means me dealing with this to help someone else, I’m willing to go through it.”
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Last night’s episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians showed Kris Jenner suffering from a food allergy which caused her upper lip to inflame during a family vacation in the Dominican Republic.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the reaction and Kris Jenner has since revealed that she’s having tests to get to the bottom of it.
The show began with Kris Jenner, 56, calling everyone in to look at her lip – a scene released by the E! Network in May before the seventh season of the reality series began.
Despite speculation that Kris Jenner had collagen or a filler, a doctor confirmed it was an allergic reaction.
“I’m a mess,” she complained.
“My lip looks like a Who from Whoville.”
Bruce Jenner, still angry that Kris had been in contact with a former lover Todd Waterman on last week’s show, didn’t have much sympathy.
“God is punishing her for giving Todd her email,” Bruce Jenner huffed.
It's unclear exactly what caused the reaction and Kris Jenner has since revealed that she's having tests to get to the bottom of it
Later, Bruce and Kris Jenner surprised Scott Disick by taking his side in a spat with pregnant daughter, Kourtney Kardashian.
At breakfast, talk quickly turns to the trouble Robert Kardashian and Scott Disick had been up to the night before. The bored pair had been drinking a little too much and broke into Kylie and Kendall’s room to play a prank.
It was Kim Kardashian who ratted Scott Disick out to Kourtney about a particularly juvenile prank he had pulled.
“Scott peed in a trash can,” Kim Kardashian said.
A livid Kourtney Kardashian stormed back to her room to shake awake the hungover Scott Disick to tell him to join the family at breakfast.
“Scott is being so selfish,” Kourtney Kardashian, who’s pregnant with the couple’s second child, tells the camera.
But Scott Disick said he is weary of being picked on for everything he does.
“I don’t even want to be on these stupid f***ing family trips. I feel like I’m just done,” he said, storming away from the table.
Robert blamed Kim for causing the spat.
“Kim needs to keep her mouth shut,” he told the camera.
“He’s drunk, he peed in a trash can, so what?”
Nonetheless, Bruce Jenner said he wasn’t keen how Scott Disick stormed away from the table, something he often does, and went to confront him.
Playing amateur therapists, Bruce and Kris Jenner quickly realize what’s been eating Scott Disick – he doesn’t feel a part of the family.
“Maybe I’m a little too sensitive sometimes,” Scott Disick confided to Bruce.
“All I want to do is make Kourtney happy, but I’m scared to do anything. I feel I’m going to wake up and she’s going to tell me it’s over.”
Scott Disick reminds the family that Kourtney said she would marry him after she got pregnant the second time. She has since changed her mind.
Bruce and Kris Jenner then decide to have a heart-to-heart with Kourtney.
“He’s been in the family six years and he never feels quite worthy,” the former Olympian said.
Kris Jenner agreed: “I want him to feel loved. He’s the father of my grandchildren.”
Meanwhile, Kendall and Kylie Jenner persuade Kim Kardashian and the rest of the family to be in their music video.
Kim Kardashian shakes her curvaceous booty, poured into a tight red bikini bottom, in the pool.
As for Kourtney Kardashian, she sees the error of her ways and buys Scott a love bracelet.
“You’re not disposable and I don’t want you to feel that way,” she tells him.
