Biofach 2019

•••6••• Innovationen Allergy potential depends on the variety Researchers investigated which strawberry or tomato contain fewer allergens than others S trawberries and tomatoes are among the most widely consumed fruits and vegetables worldwide. However, many peo- ple are allergic to them, especially if they have been diagnosed with birch pollen allergy. A team from the Technical University of Munich has investigated which strawberry or tomato varieties contain fewer allergens than others and to what extent cultivation or preparation methods are involved. The incidence of food allergies has increased in recent decades: It af- fects three to four per cent of the adult population and five per cent of children. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) can cause allergic reactions due to the pres- ence of various allergenic pro- teins. Of particular note are pro- teins that resemble the primary allergen in birch pollen and due to this similarity can lead to birch pol- len-associated food allergy. About 1.5 per cent of the population in Northern Europe and up to 16 per cent in Italy are affected by to- mato allergies. And around 30 per cent of those who are allergic to birch pollen also report allergenic reactions to strawberry fruits. Symptoms of an immunological reaction to strawberries or toma- toes can affect the skin (urticaria or dermatitis), irritate mucous membranes and trigger a runny nose, and can also lead to abdom- inal pain. Food allergy sufferers develop symptoms after eating fresh fruit or vegetables, while processed products are often tol- erated. Previous studies have found that there are several proteins in both strawberries and tomatoes, which can cause allergic reac- tions. The aim of the two recently published studies under the direc- tion of Prof. Dr. Wilfried Schwab from the Chair of Biotechnol- ogy of Natural Products was to quantify an important allergenic protein in the various strawberry and tomato varieties. In order to analyze a broad spectrum, varie- ties were selected in both cases, which differed in size, shape, and colour. Furthermore, the influ- ence of organic and convention- al cultivation conditions as well as various processing methods ranging from sun-drying and ov- en-drying to freeze-drying of the fruits were investigated. It was as- sumed that the concentration of the allergenic protein varies with the color of the ripe fruit, the state of growth, and the process- ing method. 23 different-coloured tomato varieties and 20 strawber- ry varieties of different sizes and shapes were examined to analyze the genetic factor for the expres- sion of the allergenic protein in the fruits. The concentration of the allergen in both types of fruit varied greatly between varieties. In addition, the heat sensitivity of the proteins could be confirmed: If the fruits were exposed to heat during the drying process, their allergy potential was lower. However, the influence of cultiva- tion conditions (conventional and ecological) on the allergy content was minor. The proteins investigated in the studies may in future serve as markers for the cultivation of hypo- allergenic strawberry and tomato varieties. Photo: Alex Block on Unsplash Neues Projekt an Universit t Kassel optimiert Pflanzenbau Die Produktion und den Schutz von Pflanzen zu ver- bessern, ist Ziel des neuen EU-Projekts EcoStack. Un- ter der Leitung von Prof. Dr. Oliver Hensel vom Fach- gebiet Agrartechnik ist die Universität Kassel an dem Vorhaben beteiligt. Den Schwerpunkt des Teilpro- jekts „Landwirtschaftliche Praktiken“ – unter der Lei- tung von Dr. Sascha Kirchner von der Uni Kassel – bil- det die Fragestellung, wie Nutzpflanzen durch organische Mulchmaterialien unterstützt werden können. Die Forschung der Universität Kassel wird in enger Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Fachgebieten Agrartechnik und Ökologischer Pflanzenschutz durchgeführt. Das Projekt zielt darauf ab, die Pflan- zenproduktion durch sogenannte Ökosystemdienst- leistungen zu verbessern. EcoStack entwickelt und fördert eine ökologische, ökonomische und nachhal- tige Pflanzenproduktion. Dies soll durch den Schutz der funktionalen Biodiversität gelingen. Durch Kon- zeption und Implementierung integrierter Systeme trägt das Projekt zu einer langfristigen Nachhaltig- keit der Landwirtschaft und Lebensmittelproduktion bei. Dazu identifizieren Landwirte, Produzenten und Interessensvertreter gemeinsam die notwendigen Maßnahmen für nachhaltige Produktivitätssteigerun- gen. EcoStack ist ein Horizont 2020 (H2020) EU-Pro- jekt mit einem Gesamtbudget von zehn Millionen Eu- ro. H2020 ist das Rahmenprogramm der EU für Forschung und Innovation. Hall 1 · Booth 409