Dietary restriction misconceptions and food allergy education in children with atopic dermatitis

Allergic to bureaucracy? Regulatory allergenicity assessments of novel food: Motivations, challenges, compromises, and possibilities

New sources of proteins are essential to meet the demands of the growing world population and evolving food trends. Assessing the allergenicity of proteins in novel food (NF) poses a significant food safety regulatory challenge. The Codex Alimentarius Commission presented an allergenicity assessment protocol for genetically modified (GM) foods, which can also be adapted for NF. Since no single laboratory test can adequately predict the allergenic potential of NF, the protocol follows a weight-of-evidence approach, evaluated by experts, as part of a risk management process. Regulatory bodies worldwide have adopted this safety protocol, which, among other things, promotes global harmonization. This review unravels the reliability and various motivations, terms, concepts, and approaches of allergenicity assessments, aiming to enhance understanding among manufacturers and the public. Health Canada, Food Safety Commission JAPAN, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand were surveyed, focusing on the European Food Safety Authority and the US Food Safety Administration for examples of scientific opinions regarding allergenicity assessments for novel and GM foods, from 2019 to 2023. According to our findings, current regulatory allergenicity assessments for NF approval primarily rely on literature reviews. Only a few of the NF assessments proactively presented additional tests. We recommend conducting bioinformatic analyses on NF when a panel of experts deems that there is insufficient prior scientific research.

Challenges of current treatment and exploring the future prospects of nanoformulations for treatment of atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a predominant and deteriorating chronic inflammation of the skin, categorized by a burning sensation and eczematous lesions in diverse portions of the body. The treatment of AD is exclusively focused to limit the itching, reduce inflammation, and repair the breached barrier of the skin. Several therapeutic agents for the treatment and management of AD have been reported and are in use in clinics. However, the topical treatment of AD has been an unswerving challenge for the medical fraternity owing to the impaired skin barrier function in this chronic skin condition. To surmount the problems of conventional drug delivery systems, numerous nanotechnology-based formulations are emerging as alternative new modalities for AD. Latter enhances the bioavailability and delivery to the target disease site, improves drug permeation and therapeutic efficacy with reduced systemic and off-target side effects, and thus improves patient health and promotes compliance. This review aims to describe the various pathophysiological events involved in the occurrence of AD, current challenges in treatment, evidence of molecular markers of AD and its management, combinatorial treatment options, and the intervention of nanotechnology-based formulations for AD therapeutics.

Atopic Dermatitis and Water: Is There an Optimum Water Intake Level for Improving Atopic Skin?

Water is a vital nutrient with innumerable functions for every living cell. The functions of human skin include protection against dehydration of the body. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease that presents with dry skin, erythematous and eczematous lesions, and lichenification. This paper discusses the question of whether extra water intake in children with AD affects skin hydration and the skin barrier function. Among the methods used to treat dry skin, topical leave-on products are the first-line treatment, intended to improve hydration and the skin barrier function. The effectiveness of adequate water intake as a measure to treat dry skin is still under debate. Normal skin hydration increases with dietary water intake, particularly in those with prior lower water consumption. Skin dryness in AD is instrumental to the itch and inflammation cycle, contributing to barrier impairment and aggravating disease severity and flares. Certain emollients provide significant hydration to AD skin, with relief of dryness and reduction in barrier impairment, disease severity, and flares. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the optimum water intake levels in children with AD, as important questions remain unanswered, namely, does oral hydration provide relief of skin dryness and reduce barrier impairment, disease severity, and flares; is there any additional benefit from using mineral or thermal spring water; or is there a need to specifically study the fluid/water intake in children with AD and food allergy (FA) restrictions?