um i have heard this - but i have also heard that the removal of peanuts from pregnant women and/or babies is also suspected as a reason....
Yeah, I did some looking online but I couldn't find real good evidence either way. I may try LexisNexis after my class ends. I did come across this tidbit from Wikipedia (admittedly, not the best source):
"On July 20, 2007, the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University announced that one of its scientists, Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna, had developed a process to make allergen-free peanuts. Initial testing showed a 100 percent inactivation of peanut allergens in whole roasted kernels, and human serums from severely allergic individuals showed no reaction when exposed to the processed peanuts. Food companies have expressed an interest in licensing the process, which purportedly does not degrade the taste or quality of treated peanuts, and even results in easier processing to use as an ingredient in food products."
