Scientists take a leap towards developing first-ever non-allergenic 'super' peanuts

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: In what could be defined as a significant breakthrough, scientists at the University of Western Australia are just a step behind developing non-allergenic 'super' peanuts.

The researchers have joined hands with a global research team that has been successful in identifying genes in peanuts that when altered will be able to prevent an allergic response in humans.

Reportedly, this finding was carried out by scientists from the University and several global research organisations including the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

Peanut allergies have a high prevalence in Australia, affecting approximately 3 per cent of the population and can cause a severe allergic response if not treated quickly.

The experts had to decode the DNA of peanuts to identify the genes. The scientists claim that this discovery will also lead to increased crop productivity and nutritional value.