Food allergy prevention: "early introduction" is not enough

Abstract

The strategy to prevent the onset of food allergies has shifted from "delayed introduction" to "no delayed introduction" to "early introduction" of allergenic foods. The early introduction of hen's egg and peanut has shown to be effective in reducing the risk of food allergies in some randomized controlled trials; and a degree of effectiveness has also been reported in the real world. However, there are increasing reports of anaphylaxis due to food allergies in infants, which underscore the need to devise safer and more practical infant feeding strategies. Early allergenic food introduction by itself is not sufficient to prevent the development of food allergies. Recent studies have demonstrated that continued regular consumption of allergenic foods after early introduction is important for preventing the onset of food allergies. Further research is needed that takes into consideration who should be targeted for intervention and who should undergo screening tests.