Enzymatic hydrolysis as a strategy to reduce the allergenicity in sesame (Sesamum indicum) proteins

Sesame ( Sesamum indicum ) is an oilseed crop that is cultivated all over the globe, being valued for its nutritional properties and diverse applications. Nonetheless, sesame is classified as a major food allergen. To address this problem and protect the health of sesame-allergic patients, the development of effective food treatments capable of mitigating sesame allergenicity without affecting its nutritional and bioactive properties are needed. Enzymatic hydrolysis is a well-established, safe and effective processing strategy for reducing the allergenicity of food ingredients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of enzymatic hydrolysis to reduce the IgE-binding of sesame proteins. For this purpose, the commercial enzymes – alcalase and neutrase – were tested under different incubation conditions. Protein profiles of hydrolysates were evaluated by SDS-PAGE, while their IgE-binding was assessed through immunoblotting and ELISA, using sera from sesame-allergic patients. The results demonstrated that alcalase was efficient in degrading black/white sesame proteins with a significant reduction in their IgE-binding potential (65.1 %) at a maximum concentration of 5 %, when incubated at 45 °C for 6 h. On the other hand, neutrase exhibited lower efficiency in all tested conditions, with an IgE-binding reduction up to 37.8 %. This study revealed the high potential of enzymatic hydrolysis for the reduction of sesame allergenicity, as a powerful tool to be applied by the food industry. • Hydrolysis by alcalase and neutrase was applied to white and black sesame. • Incubation conditions of temperature/time, enzyme%, sample/buffer ratio were tested. • Alcalase was efficient in protein degradation/reduction of IgE-binding (up to 65 %). • In silico analysis corroborated the experimental results. • Alcalase can be used by food industry to reduce the allergenicity of sesame.