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Lizée K, Dominguez S, Théolier J, La Vieille S, Godefroy SB. Simulated use of thresholds for precautionary allergen labeling: Impact on prevalence and risk. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33316. [PMID: 39035549 PMCID: PMC11259825 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneity and overuse of precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) in prepackaged foods have eroded its risk communication efficacy. Experts recommend applying PAL based on allergen concentration thresholds, but adoption remains limited. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the potential impact of this approach using Monte Carlo risk simulations. Four allergens and 9 food categories were considered in 2 scenarios: (1) consumption of products currently carrying PAL in Canada where individuals with food allergy (FA) are assumed to consume them, and (2) consumption of products without PAL, in a hypothetical context where PAL is applied based on thresholds that would protect 99 % (ED01) and 95 % (ED05) of individuals with FA, and individuals with FA systematically avoid products with PAL. In scenario (1), although several cases studied would cause <10 reactions/10 000 eating occasions (e.o.), there were also many that would cause >20 reactions/10 000 e.o. Cross-contact milk posed the highest risk (max. 1120 reactions/10 000 e.o.), and peanut, the least (max. 10 reactions/10 000 e.o.). In scenario (2), consumption of products without PAL, when using thresholds for PAL based on ED01, could lead to a maximum of 15 reactions/10 000 e. o. for all studied cases, and based on ED05, to 57 (if excluding dark chocolate with milk PAL). In most cases, the estimated number of reactions per 10 000 e.o. attributed to products with PAL currently on the market would be higher (p < 0.05) than that attributed to products without PAL, if PAL is applied based on the simulated thresholds. Thus, a threshold driven approach to adopt PAL on prepackaged foods, while advising consumers to avoid these products, could be beneficial for individuals with FA in Canada, as products without PAL would result in very few and generally mild adverse reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Lizée
- Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform (PARERA), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods and Department of Food Science, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Silvia Dominguez
- Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform (PARERA), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods and Department of Food Science, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jérémie Théolier
- Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform (PARERA), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods and Department of Food Science, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Sébastien La Vieille
- Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform (PARERA), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods and Department of Food Science, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- Health Canada, Food Directorate, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Samuel B. Godefroy
- Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform (PARERA), Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods and Department of Food Science, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
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Fierro V, Mazzuca C, Urbani S, Dahdah L, Calandrelli V, Valluzzi RL, Giulio D. Perspectives in precautionary allergen labelling of prepackaged foods after the FAO/WHO consultation. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2024; 24:166-170. [PMID: 38547411 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the perspectives regarding precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) of prepackaged foods following the consultation conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the WHO. RECENT FINDINGS The FAO/WHO consultation provided a comprehensive assessment of the current status and practices of PAL implementation worldwide. One of the key findings highlighted by the Expert Committee was the need for improvement in existing PAL systems. It was noted that many countries lacked uniformity in PAL practices, leading to inconsistencies in labelling and potentially misleading information for consumers. Furthermore, the consultation emphasized the importance of PAL being risk-based, taking into account both the amount and frequency of unintended allergen presence (UAP) in food products. SUMMARY The FAO/WHO consultation shed light on various perspectives and challenges associated with PAL of prepackaged foods. Key findings emphasized the need for improvement in existing PAL systems, including the adoption of a risk-based approach, standardized regulations, and enhanced transparency. Moving forward, collaborative efforts between regulatory agencies, food manufacturers, and consumer advocacy groups will be essential in developing effective PAL strategies that prioritize consumer safety and well being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Fierro
- Pediatric Allergology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome
| | - Carmen Mazzuca
- Pediatric Allergology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome
| | - Sara Urbani
- Pediatric Allergology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome
| | - Lamia Dahdah
- Pediatric Allergology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome
| | | | | | - Dinardo Giulio
- Department of Women, Children, and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
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Chilón-Troncos RF, García-Salirrosas EE, Escobar-Farfán M, Millones-Liza DY, Villar-Guevara M. Predicting willingness to consume healthy brand foods using the theory of planned behavior: the role of nutritional literacy. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1353569. [PMID: 38638294 PMCID: PMC11025538 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1353569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The willingness to consume healthy foods has highlighted the growing importance of health, even more so when it comes to food choice, and predicting the willingness to consume foods of a healthy brand represents an action that leads to the practice of conscious eating habits, but what is behind this willingness? To answer this question and based on previous studies such as the theory of planned behavior and nutritional literacy, this study aimed to build a predictive model through an empirical study to examine the influence of nutritional literacy (NL) on attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC), as well as to determine the influence of the three variables of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) on the willingness to consume healthy brand foods (WCHBF) in the Peruvian market. Methods The research focused on the population that stated that they were consumers of the Unión brand (a brand whose value proposition is the sale of healthy foods), obtaining 482 consumers. The study was conducted under a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design approach. Results The results support the existence of a positive and significant effect of NL on ATT, SN, and PBC, finding the exact behavior of SN and PBC in WCHBF; however, in the proposed model, it is observed that ATT has no impact on WCHBF. Conclusion Applying strategies that lead to a change in consumer behavior towards healthy brands is a matter of time and will. In this context, the findings indicate that nutritional literacy plays an essential role in the willingness to consume healthy foods, which sheds more light on the design of educational interventions and awareness campaigns that independently inform about nutritional benefits and empower consumers, allowing them to make informed and healthy choices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Manuel Escobar-Farfán
- Departamento de Administración, Facultad de Administración y Economía, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Dany Yudet Millones-Liza
- Unidad de Ciencias Empresariales, Escuela de Posgrado, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Peru
- Escuela Profesional de Administración, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Peru
| | - Miluska Villar-Guevara
- Escuela Profesional de Administración, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales, Universidad Peruana Unión, Juliaca, Peru
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Li JC, Rotter NS, Stieb ES, Stockbridge JL, Theodorakakis MD, Shreffler WG. Utility of food allergy thresholds. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2024; 132:321-327. [PMID: 38114041 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Food allergy is a prevalent disease worldwide that is a significant quality-of-life burden, and accidental exposures to food allergens may elicit severe, life-threatening reactions such as anaphylaxis. The threshold level, or the dose that triggers an allergic reaction determined by oral food challenges, varies considerably among individuals suffering from food allergies. Moreover, IgE concentration, diversity, or function can only partially explain this variation in threshold; pathogenic effector TH2 cells have also been found to contribute to the eliciting dose. Though very sensitive to cofactors such as physical activity/stress, the threshold is a stable and reproducible feature of an individual's allergy over periods of many months, made clear in the past several years from treatment studies in which repeated threshold determination has been used as a treatment outcome; however, there also seem to be age-related changes at a population level. More routine determination of food allergy thresholds may help patients stratify risk to improve the management of their food allergy. Precautionary allergen labeling, such as "may contain" labels, often causes confusion since they are inconsistent and regularly contain little to trace allergen residues; thus, food products with such labeling may be unnecessarily avoided. Population-based eliciting dose levels have been determined in the literature; patients at lower risk with higher thresholds may be more confident with introducing foods with precautionary allergen labels. Understanding a patient's threshold level could aid in shared decision-making to determine the most suitable treatment options for patients, including the starting dose for oral immunotherapy and/or the use of biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Li
- Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nancy S Rotter
- Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elisabeth S Stieb
- Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer L Stockbridge
- Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maria D Theodorakakis
- Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wayne G Shreffler
- Food Allergy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Schaible A, Kabourek J, Elverson W, Venter C, Cox A, Groetch M. Precautionary Allergen Labeling: Avoidance for All? Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2024; 24:81-94. [PMID: 38270804 DOI: 10.1007/s11882-024-01129-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Precautionary allergen labeling (PAL) suggests the risk of unintended allergen presence (UAP) in food but is unregulated in most countries and inconsistently applied by food manufacturers. This review evaluates the current use of PAL, its relevance to allergic consumers, and weighs possible advantages and disadvantages of avoiding products with PAL. RECENT FINDINGS In most countries, manufacturers are free to decide whether, when, and how to apply PAL resulting in inconsistencies and consumer confusion. Patients with food allergy often interpret PAL incorrectly and without guidance from their health care providers. Health care providers are also prone to misinterpreting PAL, indicating a need for better education. Consumers desire guidance on whether to avoid products with PAL or not. Until further regulatory guidance is available, shared decision-making between patient and provider is required to offer individualized, rather than one-size-fits-all, approaches to PAL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Schaible
- Division of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1198, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Jamie Kabourek
- Food Allergy Research and Resource Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Wendy Elverson
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carina Venter
- Section of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, University of Colorado, Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver, Co, USA
| | - Amanda Cox
- Division of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1198, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Marion Groetch
- Division of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1198, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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Olivieri B, Skypala IJ. New arrivals in anaphylaxis to foods. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2023; 23:357-363. [PMID: 37490617 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW More people are excluding wheat from their diet, or turning to a more sustainable diet in which includes meat substitutes or is mainly or wholly plant-based. This increases the availability of new foods and with it the increasing likelihood of novel allergens. RECENT FINDINGS There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that allergies to seeds and legumes are increasing potentially due to their use in concentrated form in vegan or health foods. Insects can be a sustainable source of protein, but mealworm could provoke symptoms in individuals sensitized or allergic to shellfish or house dust mite. Novel plant food allergens such as gibberellin-regulated proteins and thaumatin-like proteins are increasingly being reported as significant causes of severe reactions to fruits. SUMMARY these findings make it even more imperative to take a full dietary history to ensure apparent idiopathic anaphylaxis is not in reality due to a novel food, especially in cases where other forms of the food are tolerated. Given the lack of diagnostic tests for these novel foods, a prick-to-prick skin prick test should be performed with the suspected food. There is currently more work needed to define and sequence many of the allergens involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Olivieri
- Department of Medicine, Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Section, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Isabel J Skypala
- Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals, part of Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust
- Department of Inflammation and repair, Imperial College, London, UK
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Graham F, Benhamou AH, Liu YJ, Caubet JC, Eigenmann PA. Real-life evaluation of tolerance to foods with precautionary allergen labeling in children with IgE-mediated food allergy. Allergy 2023; 78:2558-2561. [PMID: 37493219 DOI: 10.1111/all.15821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- François Graham
- Pediatric Allergy Unit, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine and Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Avigael H Benhamou
- Pediatric Allergy Unit, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yan Jiao Liu
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine and Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Christoph Caubet
- Pediatric Allergy Unit, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Philippe A Eigenmann
- Pediatric Allergy Unit, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Fiocchi A, Monaci L, De Angelis E, Calandrelli V, Dahdah L, Valluzzi R, Urbani S, Mazzuca C, Arasi S, Cafarotti A, Riccardi C, Artesani MC, Putignani L, Pecora V, Marzano V, Fierro V. Reactivity to allergenic food contaminants: A study on products on the market. Clin Transl Allergy 2023; 13:e12301. [PMID: 37746792 PMCID: PMC10515704 DOI: 10.1002/clt2.12301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The frequency and severity of reactions in food-allergic consumers exposed to unintentional food allergen contamination during production is unknown. To warn allergic consumers, it has been suggested for pre-packaged foods to be precautionary labelled when the food allergen contamination may exceed the amount to which 1%-5% of the population could react (ED01-ED05). ED01 for hazelnut and milk have been estimated at 0.1 and 0.2 mg, respectively, by the Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling (VITAL) initiative. The respective reference doses recommended by the FAO/WHO Codex consultation are 3 and 2 mg. We evaluated the reactivity to potential traces of milk and hazelnut allergens in allergen-free pre-packaged products by children affected by severe allergies to milk and hazelnuts. METHODS Oral Food Challenges with commercially available hazelnut-free wafer biscuits and milk-free chocolate pralines were administered to patients with severe food allergies to hazelnut and cow's milk, respectively. Contamination levels of milk or hazelnut allergens were measured using chromatographic separation interfaced with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. RESULTS No hazelnut allergic patient showed allergic reactions to exposure to biscuits, nor any milk allergic patient displayed allergic reactions to the dark chocolate praline. While no hazelnut trace was detected in biscuits, the praline was found to be contaminated by milk at concentrations ranging between 8 and 35 mg total protein/kg food. In our dose model, these amounts exceeded 1.5-10 times the VITAL ED01 and reached the threshold suggested by the FAO/WHO Codex consultation. CONCLUSIONS Upon the consumption of food products available on the market, many patients with severe food allergies tolerate significantly higher doses of allergen than reference doses indicated in the VITAL system used for precautionary allergen labelling. These doses support the safety of the FAO/WHO recommended reference doses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Monaci
- Institute of Sciences of Food ProductionCNR‐ISPABariItaly
| | | | | | - Lamia Dahdah
- Allergy DptBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Rocco Valluzzi
- Allergy DptBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Sara Urbani
- Allergy DptBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Carmen Mazzuca
- Allergy DptBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Stefania Arasi
- Allergy DptBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | | | - Carla Riccardi
- Allergy DptBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | | | - Lorenza Putignani
- Unit of Microbiology and Diagnostic ImmunologyBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
- Unit of Human MicrobiomeDepartment of Diagnostics and Laboratory MedicineBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
| | | | - Valeria Marzano
- Unit of Microbiology and Diagnostic ImmunologyBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSRomeItaly
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Priya K, Alur S. Analyzing consumer behaviour towards food and nutrition labeling: A comprehensive review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19401. [PMID: 37681180 PMCID: PMC10480642 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying consumer behaviour towards food and nutrition labelling (F&NL) is increasingly becoming important across the world. Bibliometric analysis is a way to identify influential research, track trends, and understand methodologies in any field. In this paper, we used bibliometric analysis and a review of theories too to critically evaluate theories and concepts used in studying consumer behaviour towards F&NL. Using the Scopus database, we obtained 1017 articles, which were further filtered to perform various analyses like Co-occurrence and co-authorship network analysis. We found limited East and Southeast Asia-based research. Personal beliefs, attitudes, and past experiences were identified as influencers of consumer behaviour regarding food labelling. Trending topics were food waste, purchase intention, and sustainability labels.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.M. Priya
- VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Sivakumar Alur
- VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, 632014, India
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Horimukai K, Kinoshita M, Takahata N. Low-Dose Oral Challenge Test in Pediatric Patients With Peanut Allergy: Tolerance Assessment of a Trace 5 mg Peanut Test After Symptom Induction With a 500 mg Test. Cureus 2023; 15:e42245. [PMID: 37605681 PMCID: PMC10440023 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Peanut allergy (PA) represents a significant public health concern, particularly prevalent in Western countries. Children at high risk for PA may undergo a low-dose oral food challenge (OFC). However, if the result is positive, complete elimination of peanuts from the diet is recommended, and further trace OFC is typically not performed. Material and methods This cross-sectional study retrospectively examined the rate of positive peanut OFC with a total peanut load of 5 mg in children who tested positive with a total peanut load of 500 mg. Patient information was gathered from medical records. The primary endpoint was the rate at which children who tested positive in the OFC with 500 mg of peanut butter also tested positive with 5 mg of peanut butter equivalent. Results Among 32 children who underwent an OFC with a total peanut load of 500 mg, two were excluded for not meeting the criteria. Among the remaining 30 children, 14 (46.7%) had a positive 500 mg peanut OFC test, and three (10%) experienced an anaphylactic reaction. Those who tested positive for the OFC had higher peanut-specific and Ara h2-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. An OFC with 5 mg of peanuts performed on 10 of the 14 patients who tested positive for 500 mg of peanuts showed no positive results. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that children with severe PA who exhibit positive symptoms to a total peanut load of 500 mg can tolerate a 5 mg dose of peanuts and should be considered for an OFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Horimukai
- Department of Pediatrics, Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Misako Kinoshita
- Department of Pediatrics, Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center, Tokyo, JPN
| | - Noriko Takahata
- Department of Pediatrics, Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center, Tokyo, JPN
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