Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2021 - 23

responses. Through whole
genome sequencing (WGS)
researchers are working to
discover immunostimulatory
pathways/regions of allergenic
proteins to develop products
with attributes that are more
favorable to individuals with
food allergies.
In light of the prevalence
and costs of food allergy,
effective prevention and
treatment methods would
be of substantive value, both
economically and clinically.
The current standard of care
for food allergens is avoidance
and the treatment of systemic
reactions with adrenaline,
usually in the form of an
Epi-Pen.
With the passage of FASTER,
increased focus and resources
are being devoted to research
on risk factors and proactive
preventive measures to
mitigate the increasing
prevalence of food allergies.
This includes advances in
research, development of
new therapies, and gaining
complete understanding
of mechanisms of disease
involved in food allergy.
Previously, avoidance of
common food allergens
during pregnancy and
breastfeeding was standard
guidance; however, evidence
now suggests that early
exposure-including maternal
consumption to potential food
allergens-may decrease the
risk of developing common
food allergens in infants.
Furthermore, the introduction
of an increased diversity of
foods during infancy may
be associated with a reduced
risk of allergic disease
development. The Learning
Early About Peanut Allergy
(LEAP) trial indicated
that the early initiation of
peanut consumption may
prevent peanut allergy. The
findings of this landmark
study resulted in published
guidance recommending the
early introduction of peanuts
to high-risk infants secondary
to the potential association
between delaying peanut
introduction and an increased
risk of peanut allergy. There
is preliminary evidence that
the early introduction of
allergenic foods may prove
to be a promising prevention
strategy for food allergy, and
strict avoidance is no longer
recommended.
The role of the gut microbiota
in immune system
development related to food
allergen tolerance is another
active area of research on the
horizon. Although causality
has not been established, the
correlation has been observed
semi-consistently and
researchers hold out promise
for advances through this
connection.
Another interesting study has
looked at whether high serum
Vitamin D levels are inversely
associated with risk of food
allergy due to Vitamin D
being an immunomodulator,
and its interaction with
immune cells involved
with food protein antigens
as a potential for further
investigation.
Separately, a therapy being
explored is the development
of monoclonal antibodies as
therapeutic agents to target
and help block the processes
of allergic reaction specific to
IgE binding, resulting in faster
and safer desensitization of
individuals.
Additionally, an interesting
area of research is preventive
allergy immunizations with
DNA and mRNA vaccines,
where the encoded proteins
are transcribed, translated,
and presented to the immune
system eliciting powerful Tcell
responses. The immunity
induced by this type of
vaccine closely resembles
responses of non‐allergic
individuals and could provide
long‐term protection from
food allergy.
SUMMARY
Food allergens is a topic of
global importance due to
its impact on public health.
While there are no cures for
food allergies and current
treatment still relies on strict
avoidance, the goal and
the challenge are creating a
future where the millions of
Americans who have lifethreatening
immune responses
can live safely with improved
quality of life through the
development of effective
treatments, and ultimately a
cure for food allergies. E
RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
* www.allergome.org
* Allergy & Asthma Network. https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/
* Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). https://www.foodallergy.org/
* Food allergy: immune mechanisms, diagnosis and immunotherapy (nih.gov)
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6283005/
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6097586/
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5123910/pdf/nihms-828091.pdf
* https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273230012000797
* The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (eeoc.gov)
* U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). https://www.fda.gov/food
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http://www.allergome.org https://www.allergyasthmanetwork.org/ https://www.foodallergy.org/ http://www.nih.gov https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6283005/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6097586/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5123910/pdf/nihms-828091.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0273230012000797 http://www.eeoc.gov https://www.fda.gov/food

Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2021

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