A Comparative Study on Allergenicity of Raw and Hypoallergenic Buckwheat flour

Lee, K Y; Lee, H H; Kim, K E; Park, K H; Kim, Y K; Kong, B J

Abstract

PURPOSE
Allergy to buckwheat flour is especially common in Korea compared to other countries. We carried out this study to compare the allergenicity of raw and hypoallergenic buckwheat flour(HABF) and to study the usefulness of HABF.
METHODS
HABF was prepared from raw buckwheat flour by the method of salting with 0.5M NaCl and crude extract was made from it. We carried out SDS-PAGE with the crude extracts.
RESULTS
The protein concentration of the crude extracts was 4 times higher in raw buckwheat flour than in HABF. Protein analysis of the HABF by SDS-PAGE revealed almost total disappearance of 125kD, 36kD, 43kD and other high molemum-bands(5OkD, 6OkD, etc.). In 6 patients with buckwheat flour allergy we carried out antigen-binding specific IgE detection, and most of the antigen bound to the raw buckwheat Hour specific IgE in patients serum. With HABF, one patient with high RAST c1ass showed antigen binding to the serum specific IgE. 125kD, 3OkD and 5OkD bands among proteins were frequent1y detected as antigen with serum IgE antibodies from buckwheat flour atopic children and not detected with HABF.
CONCLUSIONS
Raw buckwheat flour and HABF had significant difference in allergenicity. The HABF was found to be useful as the elimination diet for many atopic children with buckwheat flour allergy.