Food allergy prevention: where are we in 2023?

Abstract

Food allergy prevention involves recommendations to the maternal diet during pregnancy and breast feeding, early life feeding and introduction of solid foods. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are not recommended to exclude any food allergens from their diet, but data are lacking to support active consumption of food allergens for prevention of food allergy. Breastfeeding is recommended for the many health benefits to the mother and child but has not shown any association with reduction in childhood food allergies. There is currently no recommendation regarding the use of any infant formula for allergy prevention, including the use of partially or extensively hydrolyzed formulas. Once the introduction of solid food commences, based on randomized controlled trials, it is advised to actively introduce peanuts and egg early into the infant diet and continue with consumption of these. Although there are limited data with respect to other major food allergens and whether early introduction may prevent allergy development, there is no need to delay the introduction of these allergens into the infant diet. Interpreting food allergen consumption in the context of cultural food practices has not been studied, but it makes sense to introduce the infant to family foods by 1 year of age. Consumption of foods typical of the Western diet and foods high in advanced glycation end products may be associated with an increase in food allergies. Similarly, intake of micronutrients, such as vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in both the maternal and infant diet, needs further clarification in the context of food allergy prevention.

Food Allergy Risk: A Comprehensive Review of Maternal Interventions for Food Allergy Prevention

“…Additionally, recent studies suggest that the microbiome may play a role in the development of FAs [41][42][43][44][45][46]. The immunomodulatory effect of the gut microbiome may depend on its potential to produce short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate, and propionate), which may protect against the development of food allergies by reducing the production of Th2-interleukins and modulating immune response in the intestine and peripheral tissues [47,48]. Since the microbiota are transferred from the mother to the child, maternal dysbiosis can be reflected in the newborn's dysbiosis, leading to FA development [49,50].…”

Redefining the Role of Nutrition in Infant Food Allergy Prevention: A Narrative Review

“…To date. diet diversity or diet indices while breastfeeding and infant food allergy have not been studied [ 92 ]. An RCT demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding reduced food allergy occurrence, yet this has not been shown exclusively in the post-partum period [ 87 , 93 ].…”

Nurturing Infants to Prevent Atopic Dermatitis and Food Allergies: A Longitudinal Study

“…Current discussions are focused on identifying primary prevention methods for AD and mitigating the development of additional atopic conditions, particularly food allergies in individuals with AD [ 9 , 10 ]. Furthermore, there is a growing need to adopt a multifaceted approach in identifying prenatal and dietary risk factors for AD, as well as factors influencing the development of other atopic conditions in individuals with AD [ 11 ]. Consequently, this study aims to explore prenatal and postnatal risk factors for AD development and identify individuals at heightened risk of developing other atopic conditions, specifically food allergy, through a prospective cohort study.…”