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Attention allergy sufferers: New apples promise enjoyment without risk!
From November 2025, two new, allergy-friendly apple varieties will be available in Freising, developed by TUM experts and partners.
Attention allergy sufferers: New apples promise enjoyment without risk!
The anticipation of a fruity new product on the fruit shelves is growing! From November 15, 2025, allergy sufferers can look forward to two new apple varieties that were developed specifically for them. These allergy-friendly apples are sold under the name “Pompur” and could make life easier for many people. Loud Mercury Around 3.5 million people in Germany are allergic to apples, because the specific problem is a protein that occurs in the fruit.
The new varieties were developed by a team of researchers led by Wilfried Schwab, Professor of Biotechnology at TUM Weihenstephan, and other partners from Berlin and Osnabrück. During breeding, over 700 apple varieties from the Niederelbe breeding initiative were closely examined. The result: two new varieties that not only look good, but also offer a sweet aroma and a balanced sugar-acid ratio. The test eaters agreed that the apples were large, crunchy and juicy – exactly the right thing for apple lovers.
The ECARF seal as a quality feature
The allergy-friendly apples received the ECARF seal three years ago, which is awarded by the European Foundation for Allergy Research. This seal is an important quality feature, even if it indicates that not all allergy sufferers will remain completely symptom-free. “The ECARF seal does not guarantee that no symptoms will occur,” say the experts at daily news. In individual cases, reactions can still occur, which is why allergy sufferers should test the new varieties carefully.
According to a three-year clinical study involving 30 allergy sufferers, these new varieties, ZIN 168 and ZIN 186, show no allergy symptoms and represent the first officially allergy-friendly apples in Europe. This could be a real step forward for all concerned.
A look at the research
The development of allergy-friendly apples is part of a larger research project that includes collaboration between various institutions such as Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, the Technical University of Munich and the Charité in Berlin. It was found that regular consumption of these special apples can not only relieve immediate symptoms, but also increase tolerance to conventional apple varieties in the long term. A study by the Allergy Center at the Berlin Charité has brought interesting findings: participants who consumed low-allergen apples reported a decrease in hay fever symptoms - an interesting connection, as many apple allergies are closely linked to birch pollen allergies.
The old apple varieties tested in the study, such as Alkmene and Gravensteiner, could also be an alternative for allergy sufferers. Despite all the progress, apple allergy remains a challenge, which is often characterized by symptoms such as itching and swelling in the mouth and difficulty breathing.
Soon allergy sufferers will no longer have to push themselves into the background in the fruit department. With “Pompur” comes fruity innovations that enable many people to bite without worries again. So the first apples will soon be on the shelves – there really is something to it!