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TRANSCRIPT
January 2016
The 2016 IPF will take place at the NH Collection Eurobuilding Hotel in Madrid, Spain from April 13-15, 2016.
This opportunity for the world’s peanut industry to come together, network, conduct business and discuss issues impacting our industry is a key peanut event not to be missed.
Registrations for the event are ahead of previous years and demand for table top exhibits is high. Details on the event and links to the hotel booking site and registration pages can be found at www.peanutsusa.com/ipf2016 Reg-istration is $815 per person, with additional lunch/reception tickets available to purchase for spouses.
This year we have introduced a mobile meeting app so that all delegates can keep up to date with latest registrations, speakers, sponsors and the confer-ence programme and can use the app to contact other delegates to set up meetings or have discussions.
APC would like to thank event sponsors Triz Ventures, Agrocrops, Golden Pea-nut & Treenuts, Coplana, Tomra Sorting Solutions, Olam, Langguth, Stagni Benito (Moretto), Premium Peanut LLC, Focus Business Communication and Mintel for their support.
Others wishing to sponsor the event, exhibit or advertise, can find more de-tails on the above website or e-mail Louise at [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL PEANUT FORUM 2016
STORY LINKS:
INTeRNaTIONaL peaNuT fORum 2016
75 YeaRS Of peaNuT INduSTRY hISTORY
caLL fOR papeRS
adveRTISe IN The peaNuT INduSTRY dIRecTORY aNd add gReaTeR vISIbILITY fOR YOuR cOmpaNY!
apc’S STephaNIe gRuNeNfeLdeR ReceIveS expORT awaRd fROm geORgIa peaNuT cOmmISSION
geORgIa peaNuT faRm ShOw aNd cONfeReNce pROvIdeS a daY Of educaTION fOR peaNuT faRmeRS
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The NaTIONaL peaNuT buYINg pOINTS aSSO-cIaTION IS geaRINg up fOR The 2016 aNNuaL wINTeR cONfeReNce
vISIT TO medS aNd fOOdS fOR KIdS IN haITI
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TOTebagS
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NuTRITION NewS YOu caN uSe: dR. aNdRew cRaIgdOeS peaNuT aLLeRgY have SOme cONNecTION wITh OuR guT bugS?
75 YEARS OF PEANUT INDUSTRY HISTORY
Hardbound copies of the 75 years of peanut industry history memory book are still available. This retrospective book contains lots of photos and text from the early days of the industry, the founding of the Council, early promo-tional materials, and highlights the major milestones of our industry. These books make great and unique pres-ents for customers.
To order your copies, please go to www.pb4h.org/donate. All profits go to Peanut Butter for the Hungry. If you wish to pay by check, call the APC office at 703-838-9500 and we’ll process your order.
CALL FOR PAPERSThe 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Peanut Research and Education Society (APRES) will be held at the Hilton Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, FL from July 12-14, 2016.APRES members who wish to present original papers or posters at the 2016 APRES Annual Meeting should submit an abstract on-line at www.apresinc.com by March 31, 2016. Authors of both oral presentations and posters will be notified by May 1 if their abstract has been selected for presentation.
For questions, please contact
Ramon Leon2016 Technical Program Chairman:University of FloridaUF/IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center 4253 Experiment Rd., Hwy. 182Jay, FL 32565 Phone: 850-983-7102 [email protected]
Suggestions for symposia topics are welcomed prior to Febuary 15.
APC Senior Vice President, Stephanie Grunenfelder, was recently awarded the Georgia Peanut Commission’s Export Award at the 40th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference held Thursday, January 21 at the UGA Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. The award recognizes a company or individual who has made significant contributions to the Commission in the area of exports, export market development and to expand worldwide use of Georgia Peanuts. It was presented to Ms. Grunenfelder by Armond Morris, Chairman of the Georgia Peanut Council during the lunch portion of the program which also honored other recipients for their contributions to the Georgia Peanut industry.
APC’S STEPHANIE GRUNENFELDER RECEIVES EXPORT AWARD FROM GEORGIA PEANUT COMMISSION
ADVERTISE IN THE PEANUT INDUSTRY DIRECTORY AND ADD GREATERVISIBILITY FOR YOUR COMPANY!
The APC Peanut Industry Directory is one of the strongest marketing tools in the industry. All APC members have a listing, but would you like to make a greater impact this year? Build upon your sales momentum and get noticed faster? Be one of the first to advertise in the upcoming and eagerly awaited 2016 Peanut Industry Directory which will be mailed to all members this spring. APC offers advertising opportunities on the inside front and back covers, as well as the category page dividers. Space is limited so contact us soon to reserve your spot. First come – First served. Adver-tise in the Peanut Industry Directory and add greater visibili-ty for your company!
Rates are as follows:
$250: Inside Front or Inside Back Cover $115: Category Page Dividers$300: Outside Back Cover
Contact Christina Taylor ([email protected]) or Carolina Olivieri ([email protected]) to reserve your spot.
Don’t forget that APC has other advertising opportunities, online on the “Members Only” section of the website and the PeanutsUSA Job Bank including the Premier Featured Employer posting. For more infor-mation on rates, please contact us!
More than 1,400 attendees were able to fine-tune their farming operations with information gained at the 40th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference on Jan. 21, 2016, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. The show is spon-sored by the Georgia Peanut Commission in cooperation with the University of Georgia Tifton Campus and the Southeastern Peanut Farmer.
The one-day show offered farmers a chance to view the products and services of more than 100 exhibitors, as well as a day of education. The University of Georgia Pea-nut Team presented an educational peanut production seminar focusing on marketing, fertility, irrigation and the changing face of disease and weed management. An industry seed seminar was held which highlighted peanut varieties available for 2016.
During the luncheon, Georgia peanut farmers were able to receive legislative updates from U.S. Representatives Sanford Bishop, D-Georgia, and Austin Scott, R-Georgia, as well as, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and Bob Redding, Washington lobbyist for the Georgia Peanut Commission.
The Georgia Peanut Commission presented awards to individuals and businesses for their service to the peanut industry and promotion of peanuts across the United States. The award recipients are: Distinguished Service Award – Jerry Chandler, CEO of McCleskey Mills; Re-search and Education Award – Nathan Smith, former University of Georgia Extension peanut economist and current professor and Extension economist in Agribusiness Production with Clemson University; Export Award – Stephanie Grunenfelder, senior vice president of American Peanut Council; Media Awards – The Cairo Messenger and Sam Smith, retired photographer with WALB; and the Georgia Peanut Special Award to Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau president.
The Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award was presented to Trey Dunaway of Hawkinsville, Georgia. The award is presented to one Georgia peanut farmer based upon the applicant’s overall farm operation; envi-ronmental and stewardship practices; and leadership and community service activities. This year’s winner demon-strates volunteerism and service to agriculture in his local area.
Dunaway operates a 2,000 acre diversified row crop operation including peanuts, cotton, soybeans, corn and even shrimp aquaculture. On the farm, he utilizes tech-nology through pivot monitoring using “Ag View” and Greenseeker technology to apply variable rate fungicide to his peanut crop. Both technologies allow him to be more efficient when activating or deactivating his pivots and applying more or less of the fungicide depending on the size of the peanut crop. Dunaway also utilizes 30” row spacing on all of his crops which allows him to be more efficient by planting 16 rows at a time.
Dunaway received a sign to display at his farm and a trip to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July. This award is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission and BASF.
In addition to the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award, the Georgia Peanut Commission and Agri Supply presented the Outstanding Georgia Peanut Farm-ers of the Year Award to individuals representing each of the commission’s five districts. The GPC board members started this award to honor farmers each year who have the passion, diligence, leadership and desire to see the peanut industry in the state of Georgia continue to be the highest quality. Winners include: District 1 – Louie Grimes, Colquitt; District 2 – Wavell Robinson, Pavo; District 3 – Jimmy Dixon, Girard; District 4 – Sam Floyd, Danville; and District 5 – Wilbur Gamble, Dawson. These farmers received a sign to display at their farm and a $100 gift card from Agri Supply.
At the close of the day, the presentation of the Grand
GEORGIA PEANUT FARM SHOW AND CONFERENCE PROVIDES A DAY OF EDUCATION FOR PEANUT FARMERS
PRODUCTION RESEARCH PROPOSALS, DIVERSITY SESSION ON AGENDA FOR NATIONAL PEANUT BOARD’S QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING
Door Prize donated by Kelley Manufacturing Co. was present-ed to Caleb Brown of Abbeville, Georgia. Brown received one season’s use of a new six-row KMC peanut combine and the option of purchasing the combine from a KMC dealer with $15,000 off the list price at the end of the 2016 season. KMC also provided $1,000 cash as part of the Grand Door Prize package to William Cape of Eastman, Georgia. Amadas In-dustries also provided a Grower Door Prize of one season’s use of a new Amadas four-row or six-row peanut inverter or a cer-tificate good for the amount of $5,000 towards the purchase of any Amadas pull-type peanut combine to Wayne Sayer of Wray, Georgia.
For photos and additional information on the Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference visit the Georgia Peanut Commis-sion website at gapeanuts.com.
The National Peanut Board (NPB) will hold its quarterly Board and committee meetings in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 3 – 4, 2016. NPB’s Diversity Advisory Committee & Council will meet in conjunction with the board meeting.
The Board’s Research Committee will consider requests for FY-16 funding for production research from state peanut producer organizations and universities. Funding production research to make America’s peanut farmers more competitive is a core part of the Board’s mission.All meetings take place at HLB Gross Collins, 3300 Cumber-land Boulevard, Suite 900, Atlanta, GA 30339. The National Peanut Board and committee meeting schedule is as follows:
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016
Meeting Location: HLB Gross Collins, 3300 Cumberland Boulevard, Suite 900
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. NPB General Session11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Promotions & Reputation Management Committee
1:45 – 2:15 p.m. Budget & Finance Committee THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016
Meeting Location: HLB Gross Collins, 3300 Cumberland Boulevard, Suite 900
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Research Committee ----Review of State Research Proposals for FY-16 Funding 10:00 – 10:15 a.m. Break10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Diversity Advisory Committee & Council Diversity Session with States11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. NPB General Session Reconvenes12:15 p.m. Adjournment
A copy of the procedures governing National Peanut Board meetings is available upon request.
The National Peanut Board represents all USA peanut farmers and their families. Through research and marketing initiatives the Board is finding new ways to enhance pro-duction and increase consumer demand by promoting the great taste, nutrition and culinary versatility of USA-grown peanuts.
NPB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, genetic information, parental status, and marital or family status. The NPB agrees that it will fully comply with any and all applicable Federal, State, and local equal employment opportunity statutes, ordinances, and regulations, including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Persons requiring al-ternative means of program communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) or mobility assistance should contact NPB at 678-424-5750 prior to attending the NPB event in question.
The National Peanut Board’s Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order can be accessed on the USDA Agri-cultural Marketing Services website.
Please direct any questions or R.S.V.P. to Maria Mehok, National Peanut Board, Sr. Director of Finance and Com-pliance at [email protected] or by calling 678-424-5750.
The annual Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show is fast approaching. This year’s show will be held Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, located on Hwy. 231 South in Dothan, Alabama.
Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the one-day event offers farmers a full day to view the products and services of more than 80 exhibitors and a day of education. The show opens at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until noon.
Peanut growers who attend will not only be able to fine tune their farming operations, but will have a chance to win prizes valued at thousands of dollars.
This year’s grand prize is being sponsored by Kelley Man-ufacturing Company who is offering the use of a new six-row peanut combine on the grand prize winner’s farm for the 2016 harvesting season, (valued at $15,000), with the option of purchasing the combine through an authorized KMC dealer with $15,000 off the list price.
In lieu of the six-row combine the winner can choose the use of another KMC Peanut Harvest Implement with a 10% discount off the list price for purchase. The winner must be certified as a peanut grower with an FSA farm number, and must be present to win.
Following the catered lunch, a seed seminar will be held.
Topics and guest speakers for the seed seminar will be: Varieties Currently in Production and on the Horizon – Dr. Bill Branch, professor/peanut breeder, University of Geor-gia, and Dr. Corley Holbrook, peanut breeder, USDA/ARS; Current Breeding Research update – Dr. Marshall Lamb, National Peanut Research Lab/ Auburn Universi-ty; The Peanut Genomic Initiative – Dr. Steve Brown, The Peanut Foundation.
All peanut growers are invited and encouraged to attend.
For more information on the show, including exhibit space availability, contact:
Teresa Mays at APPA (334) 792-6482 or Sherry Saunders – FPPA (850)526-2590
ALABAMA-FLORIDA PEANUT TRADE SHOW - FEBRUARY 11TH
THE NATIONAL PEANUT BUYING POINTS ASSOCIATION IS GEARING UP FOR THE 2016 ANNUAL WINTER CONFERENCE
TPPB WILL HOLD 2016 BIENNIAL ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMVOTING OPENS JANUARY 9 FOR TEXAS PEANUT FARMERS
The National Peanut Buying Points Association is gearing up for the 2016 Annual Winter Conference, set for February 12-15, 2016 in Memphis, TN. Reg-istration is open for the three day conference. Forms can be found at www.peanutbuyingpoints.org. This year’s conference and lodging will be held at The Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. The theme for the conference is “Peanut Changes – Farm Bill & Markets” and a great lineup of speakers is planned. A musical tour of Memphis is also planned for Saturday afternoon, February 13. The tour is complimentary for those attending the conference. Registration deadline is February 1, so make sure you and your staff get reg-istered now for the 2016 NPBPA Winter Conference to be held at The Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN on February 12-15, 2016. See you there!
The Texas Peanut Producers Board (TPPB) will hold an election for three expiring directors’ seats. Additionally, TPPB is holding a referendum on statewide increased checkoff amounts. The election and referendum will be held from Jan. 9-23, 2016.
There are two seats open for election in Voting Region
One, which consists of the following 44 counties: An-drews, Bailey, Brewster, Castro, Cochran, Crane, Crock-ett, Culberson, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Ector, El Paso, Gaines, Glasscock, Hale, Hartley, Hockley, Hud-speth, Jeff Davis, Lamb, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Mar-tin, Midland, Moore, Oldham, Parmer, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Reagan, Reeves, Sherman, Swisher, Terrell, Terry, Upton, Val Verde, Ward, Winkler and Yoakum counties. Nomination applicants must reside in a county listed above to seek nomination in this region.
There is one seat open for election of an At Large TPPB board member. The At Large member may be from any of the 254 counties in Texas so long as they meet the requirements below.
Voters will be voting for qualified candidates who have sought nomination within the respective TPPB voting regions where elections are to occur. Nominees for the two seats in Voting Region One are Jeff Roper, Lubbock County, and Otis Lee Johnson, Gaines County. Travis Bennett, Terry County, has been nominated for the At Large seat. Voters may also vote for board members by “writing in” the name of any eligible persons.
TPPB is also conducting a referendum on statewide increased checkoff amounts for peanuts in conjunction with the 2016 Biennial Election. Eligible voters from all four voting regions will decide if an assessment of up to $3 per net ton of peanuts, which is produced and sold in Texas, would be collected and submitted to TPPB, effective May 1, 2016. The current assessment rates have remained fixed since 1990, despite vast economic changes over the years.
Peanut producers eligible to vote in the elections and referendum are persons, including the owner of a farm on which peanuts are produced or the owner’s tenant or sharecropper, engaged in the business of producing peanuts or causing peanuts to be produced for com-mercial purposes for at least one production period during the three years preceding the date of this elec-tion and referendum (Jan. 23, 2016). For a producer to vote in Voting Region One, the voter must reside within one of the counties stated above. Any qualified produc-er may vote for an At Large nominee.
The elections and referendum will be held by mail ballot. Referendum and election ballots containing the nominations of all persons who have validly filed will be available Jan. 9, 2016, at peanut buying locations and-
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in each of the appropriate voting regions, or by writing TPPB. Voters will be voting for qualified candidates who have sought nomination within the respective TPPB voting re-gions where elections are to occur. Vot-ers may also vote for board members by “writing in” the name of any eligible persons. All voters otherwise qualified to vote as peanut producers must reside in a county within the TPPB voting region where they seek to vote.
For a ballot to be valid, it must be mailed to the TPPB, 4205 N. I-27, Lubbock, Texas 79403, with a postmark date of no later than Jan. 23, 2016.
As part of a project conducted with funds from USDA’s Emerging Markets Program (EMP), APC staff visited the Meds and Foods for Kids (MFK) factory in Cap Haitian, Haiti, where they produce peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) and ready-to-use supplemental foods (RUSF). The project funded by EMP was research to discover if school children in Haiti would buy the product “Mamba Lespri” developed and tested by MFK as a snack for school age children. School children in Haiti are typically given a small amount of money to buy snacks while they are in school, and though most families in Haiti are poor, they do have some disposable income. The research included interviews and focus groups of potential customers (children and families) to better understand the market potential for nutritious peanut-based snacks as a commercial product.
APC staff toured not only the MFK factory, but visited some peanut fields overseen by the University of Georgia’s Peanut Mycotoxin Innovation Lab outside the city of Ouanaminthe and near Cap Haitian. In addition, the APC team visited two feeding clinics where many malnourished children were receiving RUTF.
VISIT TO MEDS AND FOODS FOR KIDS IN HAITI
THE PEANUT FOUNDATION - STEVE BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
eTDE
On December 8, the Peanut Foundation Board and other interested parties heard progress reports from researchers that had received 2015 grants. It was a full four and one half hours of presentations. The Board feels that significant progress has been made this year toward the goal of mapping the genome of cultivated peanut and its wild progenitors. Mapping the peanut genome is a huge scientific endeavor. The genetic code of peanut has about the same number of distinct characters (base pairs) as nine Bibles, so there is a lot to figure out. We have most of the pieces, but now we have to put it all together in the right order and that will take additional time and effort. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait for that scientific process to be completed before we can start reaping benefits. Certain important gene rich sections of the genome have already been identified and more markers for important traits are being discovered all the time. The Peanut Genome Consortium agrees that it is time to get breeders more involved in the process so that we can develop more tools to help them breed improved peanut cultivars.
After hearing progress reports the Foundation Board reviewed research proposals for 2016 grants. An out-side panel of genomic scientists had already reviewed the proposals and provided us with feedback. Taking that information into consideration, the Board has pri-oritized the 2016 proposals and, pending availability of funds, we will soon be preparing research contracts.
Finally on that very long day, the Peanut Foundation Board of Directors met. William Pearce presented the financial report and it was approved. The nominating committee recommended that Jennifer Kimmel from KraftHeinz fill Jaime Flaherty’s unexpired term and Vic-tor Nwosu, George Birdsong and Jim Elder were nomi-nated for extended terms on the Board. Ron Blaschke from Snyder’s-Lance was nominated to fill Ben Smith’s position. All of these nominations were approved and we look forward to working with new and returning Board members.
During January AMS notified us that their fee system would not be implemented until additional ports were using the system. This allows AMS and FAS to work together to improve the usage of the system. A confer-ence call was held in January with AMS, FAS, and the Dairy Export Council to clarify the needs of peanut and dairy products going into the EU, Canada, Mexico and Japan.
During the discussion the two commodity groups (Dairy and Peanut) emphasized the need to do away with paper documents and use only electronic documents. FAS understands the situation and is working with the post in Brussels to develop ways to make this happen. It was also explained that for Mexico the phytosanitary certificate needs to be moved to eTDE so all needed documents can flow together from eTDE. AMS is working with APHIS to make this happen. A follow up conference call is scheduled for January 27.
All major functions are working successfully with over 780,000 documents uploaded to date. Documents from peanut, dairy, egg, meat, and poultry are being uploaded daily. The eTDE system is available 24/7 and is updated every three hours during normal work-ing hours. Once peanut grade certificates are being uploaded by the plant inspectors this will be changed to every three hours all day long. The GA FSIS office is working to see what software changes would be need-ed to allow local inspectors to upload directly to eTDE. GA FSIS software is currently being used by all states except Florida.
If you need assistance in getting registered with eTDE or need additional information please contact Steve Calhoun ([email protected] ) or Howard Valentine ([email protected]).
The new APC totebag specifications, which include changes that address the elongation of the bags and changing the method used to cut the bag fabric so that polypropylene fraze is minimized, are now in effect. The Certificate of Analysis (COA) and a Declaration of Compliance are also avail-able for totebag manufacturers to use. These three documents together will help insure that your bags are in compliance with FDA and EU regulations for Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers. If you need a copy of these documents please contact Howard Valentine ([email protected]) or Christi-na Taylor ([email protected]).
Work should be published in April by Chris Butts (USDA-ARS Dawson) who has been working with several cold storages and shellers to determine if changing the recommended temperature for cold storage maximum temperatures up to around 50 degrees °F eliminate condensation in totes loaded into cold storage or trucks for shipment/storage during the summer months. Chris will release this data as soon as he completes a full year of study in late March.
Dr. Maria Balota
Dr. Balota obtained her degree from the University of Bucharest, Romania. As a post doc at Texas A&M University, she researched wheat, sorghum, and cowpea physiology. When she moved to Virginia Tech, however, she switched from cowpea to peanut! At Virginia Tech, the overall goal of her research is to provide leadership for the multi-state Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation (PVQE) program while combining with a new research initiative focused on crop stress physiology. For al-most 40 years, the PVQE program has been vital to the peanut industry in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, allowing knowledge-based selection for release of highly productive cultivars that meet the criteria for market success. Put simply, PVQE is the official “pipeline” for virginia-type pea-nut cultivar development for the Virginia-Carolina region. The primary extension thrust of these pro-grams is in utilization of the most profitable peanut varieties by farmers and identification of profitable rotational crops for peanut, such as sorghum. Dr. Balota’s overall extension goal is to maintain agricultural profitability through selection and use
of the highest yielding and water-use efficient varieties of peanut and sorghum.
Dan Anco
Dan Anco was born and raised in Illinois. During his undergraduate years, he majored in Environmental Science at Lewis University after a tallgrass prairie restoration intern-ship shifted his interest towards plants. Anco completed his masters and doctoral studies in Plant Pathology at The Ohio State Uni-versity where he conducted epidemiological studies on a grape disease. After graduat-ing, he took a postdoctoral research position at US Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce, FL working mainly on citrus dis-eases. Anco is now Clemson University’s Pea-nut Specialist located at the Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, SC.
TOTEBAGS NEW MEMBERS
DOES PEANUT ALLERGY HAVE SOME CONNECTION WITH OUR GUT BUGS?
It is becoming increasingly clear that good gut health early in life - and having the right kind and amount of gut bugs (the microbiota that share our body space) – is critical for later normal development and indeed for lifelong health and wellbeing. That’s why a finding that Americans with food allergies – particularly peanut allergy and allergies to seasonal pollen – have altered gut microbiota compared to the rest of the population may be an important clue to how food allergy develops and who is more likely to experience it.
According to scientists at the National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health, “American adults with allergies, especially but not exclusively to nuts and seasonal pollen, have lower richness and altered com-position of their gut microbiota.” The name they give to this alteration is “dysbiosis”. The question is why does this difference exist and when does it arise? More importantly, what might be done to prevent it or ameliorate it to elim-inate or reduce the severity of food allergy, particularly to peanut protein?
The NIH researchers analysed data from almost 2,000 participants in the American Gut Project, slightly more women than men, with a mean age of 45.5 years. 81% self-reported at least one allergy (3% to peanuts, treenuts or shellfish). They found that richness (number and diversity of gut flora species) in the microbiota was strongly and negatively associated with most allergies and that peanut allergy had the strongest negative (i.e., less rich and diverse) association of all.
The presence of a dog or cat in the household when young did not make a difference to allergy. They also speculated that caesarean birth might somehow play a role, though confirming evidence for this is far from clear. The investigators also said, “This observation of an aller-gy-associated dysbiosis supports the hygiene hypothesis, [the potentially protective effect from exposure to certain types of microbes from diet and the environment early in life] but the origin of the dysbiosis is unknown.” So really we are left without any firm evidence to explain the strong variations in intestinal micro-organisms in people with food allergies, particularly to peanut, other nuts and seasonal pollen.
At present it isn’t possible to say whether the dysbiosis is a cause of food allergy or an effect of having a food allergy. It may turn out to be a biomarker for the allergy without being a causation factor itself. But there is no
doubt that more attention will now be paid to microbi-ota deviations for the clues they may give as to why a minority of people develop allergies to otherwise highly beneficial foods like peanuts while the majori-ty of people do not.
Ref: Hua X, Goedert JJ et al (2014). “Diversity and Composition of the Adult Fecal Microbiome Asso-ciated with History of Cesarean Birth or Appendec-
tomy: Analysis of the American Gut Project” EBio-Medicine 1 (2-3): 167–172 (open access http://www.
ebiomedicine.com/article/S2352-3964(14)00028-0/pdf)
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