scholarly journals Timing of Food Introduction and the Risk of Food Allergy

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Ferraro ◽  
Stefania Zanconato ◽  
Silvia Carraro

Given that the prevalence of pediatric IgE-mediated food allergies (FA) has followed a substantive increase in recent decades, nowadays, a research challenge is to establish whether the weaning strategy can have a role in FA prevention. In recent decades, several studies have demonstrated that delayed exposure to allergenic foods did not reduce the risk of FA, leading to the publication of recent guidelines which recommend against delaying the introduction of solid foods after 4–6 months of age, both in high- and low-risk infants, in order to prevent food allergy. In the present review, focusing on cow’s milk protein, hen’s eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat and fish, we describe the current scientific evidence on the relationship between timing of these foods’ introduction in infants’ diet and allergy development.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Lang ◽  
Shrey Patel ◽  
Karen Rychlik ◽  
Deanna Caruso ◽  
Xiaobin Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Knowledge is limited about the relationship between clinical reactivity to foods through breastfeeding and long-term food allergy outcomes. We explored parent-perceived symptoms of food allergy via breastfeeding and the association with future tolerance. Methods Subjects identified from the Chicago Food Allergy Study (2005–2011) were categorized by parent-reported reactions to maternally ingested foods via breastfeeding (50/898 peanut-allergic, 69/620 egg-allergic, and 153/589 milk-allergic). The primary outcome was tolerance [passed oral food challenge (OFC) or consumption of previously implicated food]. Secondary outcomes included severe reactions (anaphylaxis and/or cardiovascular/respiratory symptoms) and additional concomitant food allergies. Univariate chi-square analyses were performed to assess for association between variables, followed by logistic regression models. Results Of the 50 subjects with parent-reported peanut-associated symptoms with breastfeeding, none gained tolerance. There were no significant associations between parent-reported breastfeeding symptoms and development of tolerance for egg and milk (egg: OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21–1.01, p = 0.053; milk: OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.70–1.81, p = 0.614). All egg-allergic subjects with parent-perceived symptoms while breastfeeding also reported multiple food allergies (n = 69), but milk- and peanut-allergic subjects were not more likely to have multiple allergies (milk: OR 1.89, 95% CI 0.88–4.02, p = 0.10; peanut: OR 2.36, 95% CI 0.72–7.76, p = 0.16). There were no significant associations between parent-reported breastfeeding symptoms and subsequent reaction severity. Conclusions A significant proportion of parents perceive symptoms of food allergy attributable to indirect breastfeeding exposures. Our exploratory analysis suggests that infants with parent-perceived clinical reactivity to peanut via breastmilk may be less likely to gain tolerance. Infants with parent-reported reactivity to egg via breastmilk exposure were more likely to report multiple food allergies. Further rigorous prospective studies are needed to clarify the true prevalence of IgE-mediated food allergy symptoms attributable to indirect breastfeeding exposures and the association with development of tolerance.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caleb Kelly ◽  
Venu Gangur

Food allergies are potentially fatal immune-mediated disorders that are growing globally. The relationship between sex and food allergy remains incompletely understood. Here we tested the hypothesis that, should sex influence the clinical response to food allergens, this would be reflected by a sex disparity in published studies of food allergy. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed literature for IgE-mediated allergy to 11 allergenic foods of international regulatory importance. No date restriction was used and only articles in English were considered. Of the 4744 articles retrieved, 591 met the inclusion criteria representing 17528 subjects with food allergies. Whereas among children with food allergies, 64.35% were males and 35.65% were females (male/female ratio, 1.80), among adults 34.82% were males and 65.18% were females (male/female ratio, 0.53). Consequently, these data argue that there is need for further investigation to define the role of sex in the pathogenesis of food allergy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 536-546
Author(s):  
Alexander A. Baranov ◽  
Leyla S. Namazova-Baranova ◽  
Anna A. Alexeeva ◽  
Eduard T. Ambarchian ◽  
Lianna K. Aslamazyan ◽  
...  

The article presents modern approaches to the use of balanced formulas for nutrition and diet correction in children with various forms of food allergies. The guidelines are based on all available up to date evidence on the efficacy, safety and utility of using such innovative medical technology as specialized amino acid formulas. This formula is the targeted medical intervention for food allergies and confirmed cow's milk protein allergy, and particularly for patients with reduced physical growth and development (growth rates included). The material is based on methodological guidelines on the amino acid formulas usage previously developed by specialist experts of the Union of pediatricians of Russia in 2020.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmond A. Hooker ◽  
Charles Kircher

Food allergies are responsible for a considerable number of emergency department visits. Food allergy can be divided into classic (i.e., IgE-mediated) reactions to specific allergens after exposure via skin or mucosal membrane and non–IgE-mediated food allergies, which include T cell–mediated immunity, enteropathies to specific proteins, and mixed disorders (e.g., eosinophilic esophagitis). Food-induced anaphylaxis can be life threatening and requires immediate treatment with epinephrine, even if the causative agent has not been identified. This review describes the pathophysiology, stabilization and assessment, diagnosis and treatment, and disposition and outcomes for patients with food allergies. Figures show IgE-mediated allergic reactions to food and other allergens, classification of adverse reactions to foods, commercially available epinephrine autoinjectors, a sample anaphylaxis action plan, and a map showing school access to epinephrine in the United States as of September 4, 2014. Tables list potential food allergies with estimated self-reported prevalence, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease clinical criteria of anaphylaxis, non–IgE-mediated food intolerance disorders, Rome III diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome, food allergy mimickers, and potential criteria for prolonged observation. This review contains 5 highly rendered figures, 6 tables, and 54 references.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Goldberg ◽  
Hadar Mor ◽  
Dafna Magid Neriya ◽  
Faiga Magzal ◽  
Efrat Muller ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Multiple studies suggest a key role for gut microbiota in IgE-mediated food allergy (FA) development, but to date, none has studied it in the persistent state. Methods To characterize the gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) profiles associated with major food allergy groups, we recruited 233 patients with FA including milk (N = 66), sesame (N = 38), peanut (N = 71), and tree nuts (N = 58), and non-allergic controls (N = 58). DNA was isolated from fecal samples, and 16S rRNA gene sequences were analyzed. SCFAs in stool were analyzed from patients with a single allergy (N = 84) and controls (N = 31). Results The gut microbiota composition of allergic patients was significantly different compared to age-matched controls both in α-diversity and β-diversity. Distinct microbial signatures were noted for FA to different foods. Prevotella copri (P. copri) was the most overrepresented species in non-allergic controls. SCFAs levels were significantly higher in the non-allergic compared to the FA groups, whereas P. copri significantly correlated with all three SCFAs. We used these microbial differences to distinguish between FA patients and non-allergic healthy controls with an area under the curve of 0.90, and for the classification of FA patients according to their FA types using a supervised learning algorithm. Bacteroides and P. copri were identified as taxa potentially contributing to KEGG acetate-related pathways enriched in non-allergic compared to FA. In addition, overall pathway dissimilarities were found among different FAs. Conclusions Our results demonstrate a link between IgE-mediated FA and the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota.


Author(s):  
Shuo Wang ◽  
Yuan Wei ◽  
Luyan Liu ◽  
Zailing Li

Regulating the composition of human breastmilk has the potential to prevent allergic diseases early in life. The composition of breastmilk is complex, comprising varying levels of oligosaccharides, immunoactive molecules, vitamins, metabolites, and microbes. Although several studies have examined the relationship between different components of breastmilk and infant food allergies, few have investigated the relationship between microorganisms in breastmilk and infant food allergy. In the present study, we selected 135 healthy pregnant women and their full-term newborns from a cohort of 202 mother–infant pairs. Among them, 69 infants were exclusively breastfed until 6 mo after birth. At follow-up, 11 of the 69 infants developed a food allergy in infancy while 22 showed no signs of allergy. Thirty-three breastmilk samples were collected within 1 mo after delivery, and 123 infant fecal samples were collected at five time points following their birth. These samples were analyzed using microbial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The abundance and evenness of the milk microbiota and the number of differential bacteria were higher in the breastmilk samples from the non-allergy group than in those from the food allergy group. The non-allergy group showed relatively high abundance of Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia, Clostridium IV, Clostridium XIVa, Veillonella, and butyrate-producing bacteria such as Fusobacterium, Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis, Roseburia, and Ruminococcus. In contrast, the abundance of Proteobacteria, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas in breastmilk was higher in the food allergy group. A comparison of the changes in dominant differential breastmilk microbiota in the intestinal flora of the two groups of infants over time revealed that the changes in Bifidobacterium abundance were consistent with those in the breastmilk flora. Functional pathway prediction of breastmilk microflora showed that the enhancement of the metabolic pathways of tyrosine, tryptophan, and fatty acids was significantly different between the groups. We suggest that changes in the breastmilk microbiota can influence the development of food allergies. Breastmilk contains several microbes that have protective effects against food allergies, both by influencing the colonization of intestinal microbiota and by producing butyrate. This study may provide new ideas for improving infant health through early intervention with probiotics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-105
Author(s):  
Antonella Cianferoni

Food allergies, defined as an immune response to food proteins, affect as many as 8% of young children and 2% of adults in western countries, and their prevalence appears to be rising like all allergic diseases. In addition to well-recognized urticaria and anaphylaxis triggered by IgE antibody– mediated immune responses, there is an increasing recognition of cell-mediated disorders, such as eosinophilic esophagitis and food protein–induced enterocolitis. Non-IgE-Mediated gastrointestinal food allergies are a heterogeneous group of food allergies in which there is an immune reaction against food but the primary pathogenesis is not a production of IgE and activation of mast cells and basophils. Those diseases tend to affect mainly the gastrointestinal tract and can present as acute (FPIES) or chronic reaction, such as Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), Food Protein-Induced Allergic Proctocolitis (FPIAP). The role of food allergy in Non-EoE gastrointestinal Eosinophilic disorders (Non- EoE EGID) is poorly understood. In some diseases like EoE, T cell seems to play a major role in initiating the immunological reaction against food, however, in FPIES and FPIAP, the mechanism of sensitization is not clear. Diagnosis requires food challenges and/or endoscopies in most of the patients, as there are no validated biomarkers that can be used for monitoring or diagnosis of Non-IgE mediated food allergies. The treatment of Non-IgE food allergy is dependent on diet (FPIES, and EoE) and/or use of drugs (i.e. steroids, PPI) in EoE and Non-EoE EGID. Non-IgE mediated food allergies are being being investigated.


2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Anagnostou ◽  
Gary Stiefel ◽  
Helen Brough ◽  
George du Toit ◽  
Gideon Lack ◽  
...  

IgE-mediated food allergies are common and currently there is no cure. Traditionally, management has relied upon patient education, food avoidance and the provision of an emergency medication plan. Despite this, food allergy can significantly impact on quality of life. Therefore, in recent years, evolving research has explored alternative management strategies. A more active approach to management is being adopted, which includes early introduction of potentially allergenic foods, anticipatory testing, active monitoring, desensitisation to food allergens and active risk management. This review will discuss these areas in turn.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Greiwe

A verified food allergy can be an impactful life event that leads to increased anxiety and measurable effects on quality of life. Allergists play a key role in framing this discussion and can help alleviate underlying fears by promoting confidence and clarifying safety concerns. Correctly diagnosing a patient with an immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated food allergy remains a nuanced process fraught with the potential for error and confusion. This is especially true in situations in which the clinical history is not classic, and allergists rely too heavily on food allergy testing to provide a confirmatory diagnosis. A comprehensive medical history is critical in the diagnosis of food allergy and should be used to determine subsequent testing and interpretation of the results. Oral food challenge (OFC) is a critical procedure to identify patients with an IgE-mediated food allergy when the history and testing are not specific enough to confirm the diagnosis and can be a powerful teaching tool regardless of outcome. Although the safety and feasibility of performing OFC in a busy allergy office have always been a concern, in the hands of an experienced and trained provider, OFC is a safe and reliable procedure for patients of any age. With food allergy rates increasing and analysis of recent data that suggests that allergists across the United States are not providing this resource consistently to their patients, more emphasis needs to be placed on food challenge education and hands-on experience. The demand for OFCs will only continue to increase, especially with the growing popularity of oral immunotherapy programs; therefore, it is essential that allergists become familiar with the merits and limitations of current testing modalities and open their doors to using OFCs in the office.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document