During her doctoral work, Lise Holden developed a method of identifying lupin protein in food products. She also investigated the incidence of lupin allergy among children with food allergy and studied the proteins in lupin responsible for allergy production.
Several hundred species of lupin exist. Lupin seed, rich in protein and fibre, has formed part of the diet of some southern European and south American countries for centuries. Many are cultivated as house plants, but these are inedible. Selective breeding has given us the sweet lupin, which tastes good and has a lower content of alkaloids than previous variants.
During recent years, the use of sweet lupin has become more widespread throughout Europe. Lupin-based ingredients improve both the nutritional value and baking qualities of food, and they are commonly added to wheaten flour. Another use is as a replacement for soya, since many consumers associate soya with gene manipulation. In addition, lupin seed is gluten-free and can therefore be safely eaten by people afflicted with coeliac disease. New studies indicate that lupin protein can have cholesterol-reducing properties.
The increased use of lupin in food has led to several reported cases of allergic reactions against lupin, including in Norway. Lupin may produce allergy either by primary sensitisation or through cross-reaction with other legumes, especially peanut. People with peanut allergy should therefore be aware that they can react to food labelled as containing lupin.