These data show that mRNA silencing of Mal d 1 results in a marked reduction of Mal d 1 gene expression in the fruit and reduction of symptoms when these apples are ingested by allergic subjects. Approximately half of the subjects developed no symptoms whatsoever, and virtually all subjects wished to consume the apple again in the future.

This data set is a rich resource for microbiologists interested in common mechanisms of gene expression, regulation and in particular the physiology of L. lactis . Thus, similar to the common use of genome sequence data by the scientific community, the data set constitutes an extensive data repository for mining and an opportunity for bioinformaticians to develop novel tools for in-depth analysis.