Peach

The peach tree, a tree up to 8 m high, belongs to the rose family (rosacea). Its fruits are called peaches and belong to the stone fruit family. The country of origin is China. The peach tree was naturalized in the Middle Ages via Persia and the Mediterranean countries in northern Europe. There are white, yellow and red fleshy varieties. There are the velvety haired noble peaches, the smooth-skinned, mainly yellow nectarines and the smooth-skinned, violet-skinned apricot peaches. The fruits are usually eaten raw, but are also processed into preserves, juice and jams.

Various extracts of the peach plant are used in cosmetic formulations.

• Prunus persica kernel oil (INCI): peach kernel oil, effective as emollient and skin caring
• Prunus persica extract (INCI): peach extract; acts as an abrasive, swelling agent and skin care product
• Prunus persica flower extract (INCI): flower extract; has a skin-caring and moisturising effect
• Prunus persica juice (INCI): peach juice; acts as a skin care product and moisturizer
• Prunus persica leaf extract (INCI): leaf extract; acts as a skin care product and moisturizer
• Prunus persica seed powder (INCI): powder from the ground peach kernels; acts as an abrasive

Allergy to peaches (Prunus persica) and nectarines (see peach allergy below) is one of the most common food allergies. In Mediterranean countries, Prunus persica is the most common trigger of plant food allergies.

Recently, there are possibilities to produce transgenic fruits by "RNAi mediated gene silencing", which form significantly less LTPs (see below peach allergy). This has already been proven in tomatoes for the relevant allergen Lyc e 3.

1. Kleine-Tebbe J et al (2010) Allergen families and molecular diagnostics of IgE-mediated food galleries: from theory to practice. Allergo J 19: 251-263
2. Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI): In Vitro Diagnostics and Molecular Basis of IgE-mediated Food Allergies
3. Romano et al (2009) Allergy to peanut lipid transfer protein (LTP): frequency and cross-reactivity between peanut and peach LTP. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol 41: 106-111
4. Asero et al (2007) Rice: another potential cause of food allergy in patients sensitized to lipid transfer protein. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 143: 69-74