from the article: "Abstract: The oral mucosa is the first immune tissue that encounters allergens upon ingestion of food.
We hypothesized that the bio-accessibility of allergens at this stage may be a key determinant for
sensitization. Light roasted peanut flour was suspended at various pH in buffers mimicking saliva.
Protein concentrations and allergens profiles were determined in the supernatants. Peanut protein
solubility was poor in the pH range between 3 and 6, while at a low pH (1.5) and at moderately
high pHs (>8), it increased. In the pH range of saliva, between 6.5 and 8.5, the allergens Ara h2
and Ara h6 were readily released, whereas Ara h1 and Ara h3 were poorly released. Increasing the
pH from 6.5 to 8.5 slightly increased the release of Ara h1 and Ara h3, but the recovery remained
low (approximately 20%) compared to that of Ara h2 and Ara h6 (approximately 100% and 65%,
respectively). This remarkable difference in the extraction kinetics suggests that Ara h2 and Ara h6 are
the first allergens an individual is exposed to upon ingestion of peanut-containing food. We conclude
that the peanut allergens Ara h2 and Ara h6 are quickly bio-accessible in the mouth, potentially
explaining their extraordinary allergenicity."
