Sesame ; Allergen ; Allergenicity ; Immunoglobulin E
Abstract
Purpose: There has been a significant increase in the number on reports of hypersensitivity to sesame, probably because of its use in international fast-food and bakery products. Thus, we have investigated whether various cooking methods affect the allergenicity of sesame. Methods: Sesame seeds were roasted, boiled or fried with vegetable oil, and then their proteins were each extracted. The proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and detection of immunoglobulin (Ig) E specific to sesame seed proteins was performed with Western blotting using 6 sera. Results: SDS-PAGE of raw sesame proteins showed various-sized bands including 7, 9, 12, 15 and 17 kD known as major allergens. While only few protein bands remained in roasted or fried sesame seeds, some protein bands sized under 15 kD were observed in the boiled sesame seeds and their soup. The pooled sera yielded IgE-specific reaction with 7 kD in raw and boiled, and 37 kD in fried and boiled sesame proteins. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the cooking methods may change the allergenicity of sesame seed proteins.