BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Researchers at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University have developed a treatment that removes the allergens from peanuts, according to media reports Thursday.

    Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna, the lead inventor of the new process, has spent six years to inactivate the peanut allergens. The recent tests with human serum from allergic individuals show that the developed process is successful.

    It is claimed the unclear biological process done after the peanut is harvested does not significantly affect the taste or quality of the nut.

    The process will still have to undergo FDA approval. Ahmedna is looking to optimize this process and extend it to beyond peanuts to other varieties of nuts.

    U.S. agricultural Officials are hopeful this will open the door to removing allergens from other foods.

    Symptoms of nut allergies can range from itchiness of the tongue to mild irritation all the way up and even to death.

    More than 3 million Americans suffer from such allergies and between 100 and 150 deaths in the United States are attributed to peanut allergies each year.

    (Agencies)