How could diet affect egg allergy?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Once an allergy is confirmed, strict egg avoidance in the diet is recommended. Otherwise, there is currently little evidence to support particular dietary interventions for the prevention or management of egg allergy. However, there is evidence regarding cow’s milk allergy that suggests irregular ingestion in early life may promote allergy, supporting the idea that once a potentially allergenic food is successfully introduced into the diet it should be consumed regularly (a few times weekly) to prevent loss of tolerance.[1] For short- or long-term formula-fed infants, replacing regular cow’s milk or soy formula with a formula that is partially or extensively hydrolyzed (proteins are broken down into smaller pieces) is likely not effective for preventing food allergies.[2][3] Similarly, while breastfeeding is associated with a multitude of health benefits for the infant, it has not consistently been found to help prevent food allergies.[4]

    References

    1. ^Onizawa Y, Noguchi E, Okada M, Sumazaki R, Hayashi DThe Association of the Delayed Introduction of Cow's Milk with IgE-Mediated Cow's Milk Allergies.J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract.(2016)
    2. ^Osborn DA, Sinn JK, Jones LJInfant formulas containing hydrolysed protein for prevention of allergic disease.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2018-Oct-19)
    3. ^Boyle RJ, Ierodiakonou D, Khan T, Chivinge J, Robinson Z, Geoghegan N, Jarrold K, Afxentiou T, Reeves T, Cunha S, Trivella M, Garcia-Larsen V, Leonardi-Bee JHydrolysed formula and risk of allergic or autoimmune disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ.(2016-Mar-08)
    4. ^Jelding-Dannemand E, Malby Schoos AM, Bisgaard HBreast-feeding does not protect against allergic sensitization in early childhood and allergy-associated disease at age 7 years.J Allergy Clin Immunol.(2015-Nov)