US says non-allergic pnuts closer to reality

[ajasfolks2]

http://news.msn.com/science-technology/us-says-non-allergic-peanut-closer-to-commercial-reality

[PurpleCat]

http://news.msn.com/science-technology/us-says-non-allergic-peanut-closer-to-commercial-reality

Unless all peanuts are treated (and then it becomes a modified food), how could you tell once the peanut or peanut containing product is out of a package if it is safe or not safe.

It is an interesting idea.  Curious what you all think.

[SilverLining]

I see no value in it. But I see a lot of danger.

Who is this for?  The people with pa?  As you said, how will you know?  Personally, I prefer a complete substitute...Peabutter for me.

The people without pa?  Why do they want a non-allergic peanut?  It's a modified food. 

Manufacturers?  If they can't be bothered labelling properly, why are they going to purchase a pretend peanut?  And will they sometimes use real peanuts? 

And I'm just going to assume it will cost more.

And will it really be "non allergenic"?  Or just "different allergenic"?  Nobody in the world will be allergic to it?

[ajasfolks2]

I'm going to merge this one into the other I started (in Research and News) -- and move the whole discussion here into Main.      Done!

[ajasfolks2]

How are they going to keep the "non"allergic peanuts separate from the dangerous ones?  How will labeling be handled?  How will they test for presence of peanut in foods -- non-allergic vs dangerous?

Or will the FDA mandate that ONLY "non"allergic may be used, sold, distributed?

[ajasfolks2]

This would need all kinds of regulation -- not something I see our gov't going for, let alone actually ACCOMPLISHING!

And so when the non-allergic peanuts cost more, what is to stop a food producer from using the cheaper, dangerous peanuts?  And how will anyone know until somebody dies of anaphylaxis?

Oh, wait!  I've got it -- there will be voluntary standards and the peanut industry will just police itself.   

[CMdeux]

Well, and with all the backlash currently against GMO food, honestly, this is an idea that is going nowhere.  The same people who protest about their "right" to peanuts/PB everywhere all the time are the ones that will complain that "GMO" peanuts are poison.  {sigh}

[LinksEtc]

Oh, wait!  I've got it -- there will be voluntary standards and the peanut industry will just police itself.   

[PurpleCat]

DD came home and I asked her what she thought.

"Why?  That's just dumb!  I would not eat it anyway.  The smell of peanuts makes me feel like I'm in danger."

[Mezzo]

I'm glad to see you're all thinking what I'm thinking.  Our allergist actually thinks that this is the answer to peanut allergies.  I think that it just means we'll never know which one are safe and which ones aren't; it will increase peanut processing cost so no way will every company use it; some people won't eat them because they're altered; it doesn't even take all of the allergenic protein out so it couldn't possibly be safe enough for everyone.  I just didn't want to get in an argument about this in the doctor's office.  But this is not the answer for my kid's safety.

[Janelle205]

Given my propensity for non-top 8 allergies and developing weird crud in adulthood...

my luck would be that I would be allergic to the 'non-allergenic' peanut.