Food Allergy Science Initiative

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 first identified eight foods as major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. But #DYK that in 2021, the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act added sesame as the ninth major food allergen on that list? This means that all foods, including dietary supplements or ingredients that contain a "major food allergen," be specifically labeled with the name of the allergen source. #DidYouKnow #FoodAllergies #FoodAllergy #PublicHealth

Food allergies are a growing #publichealth concern, impacting approximately 1 in 13 children. In the medical community, there is a fundamental lack of understanding of how food allergies develop and why they are increasing. In this episode of the The Guardian podcast, Jane Lee speaks with Jennifer Koplin, an associate professor at the The University of Queensland, about the mechanics of food allergies and how factors such as genetics, migration, the environment, and even pets in the home contribute to our growing understanding of food allergies in children. Listen here: https://bit.ly/4fq3wi8 #FoodAllergies #FoodAllergyResearch

We're thrilled that the FDA has just approved Neffy, the first-ever epinephrine nasal spray for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions. Neffy meets a major unmet need and removes barriers to prompt treatment of anaphylaxis, offering a new and simpler alternative to individuals with difficulties taking an epinephrine injection. #FoodAllergies #FoodAllergyResearch #Epinephrine

FASI CEO Carlos Bosques, PhD, provides details regarding the Program Project Grant (P01) from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to support a multidisciplinary research program focused on the neuroimmunology of food allergies. Led by Program Director Dr. Ruslan Medzhitov at Yale University, Steven Liberles at Harvard Medical School, and Daniel Mucida at The Rockefeller University, they will continue to uncover fundamental mechanisms by which the nervous and immune systems interact to drive the development and progression of food allergies. For more information, see the release: https://bwnews.pr/45acprt #FoodAllergies #FoodAllergyResearch #Immunology

New research has shed light on the pervasive presence of PFAS in our daily lives. A recent study reveals that common foods such as white rice, coffee, eggs, and seafood are four major dietary culprits of these “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to health concerns. This study, which examined samples from 3,000 pregnant women, found that those who ate more of these four foods typically showed more PFAS in their plasma and breast milk. Understanding these findings is crucial for policymakers, researchers, and the public to minimize exposure to harmful substances and ensure a safer environment for all. Read more about the study and its implications: https://bit.ly/3LNWMgs #PFAS #FoodAllergies

While generations of parents were once told to avoid feeding peanuts to their children, a landmark 2015 study reversed this advice. Data clearly points to early peanut consumption being protective in promoting tolerance to peanuts. However, it was unclear whether protection would be long-lasting or if peanuts needed to be regularly consumed for continued protection. A follow-up study published recently assessed peanut tolerance in children out to 12 years of age and solidified earlier results showing that early peanut consumption provides lasting tolerance into adolescence, irrespective of subsequent peanut consumption. These results provide a welcome directive to parents seeking to make a difference in lowering peanut allergies in future generations of children. https://bbc.in/3VYEZIb #FoodAllergy #PeanutAllergy #FoodAllergyResearch

What an incredible year it has been for us at FASI! We’re thrilled to present our Fiscal Year 2024 Scientific Progress and Impact Report, highlighting our progress in our ongoing mission to find a cure for #foodallergies. Since 2016, we have been determined to bridge the knowledge gap surrounding food allergies. Our innovative approach breaks barriers and empowers us to explore the realms of scientific knowledge that are often overlooked. As we continue to make significant strides in advancing research, we extend our gratitude to our growing community of supporters - donors, families, educators, #healthcare providers, biomedical researchers, and scientists - who collaborate with us to bring about meaningful change for the millions affected by food allergies. Read the full report, learn about our progress in finding a cure, and be among the first in our community to read the announcement about FASI's exciting new $2 million matching gift challenge for this year: https://bit.ly/3StKJsy

FASI CEO Carlos Bosques, PhD, shares his very personal connection to our mission. Over the last 18 years, Carlos has worked to bring life-changing therapies to patients. His leadership and commitment to finding a cure for food allergies are helping to drive the research forward. #FoodAllergies #FoodAllergyResearch #MeetTheCEO

At FASI's symposium last month, we were proud to feature our keynote speaker, Albert-Laszlo Barabasi, PhD, who is pioneering the field of network medicine by using statistical modeling to connect food exposures, individuals' genetics, and disease modules. His lab has built machine learning algorithms to mine public food databases and published experimental literature to quantify the massive uncharted diversity and abundance of molecular components within foods. By coupling high-resolution knowledge of food chemicals with individuals' dietary exposure, genomics, and disease history, patterns emerge that reveal linkages between specific food compounds, human health, and disease. Explore his research: https://lnkd.in/ecz_c9hs #FoodAllergy #Immunology #FoodAllergyResearch

Atopic dermatitis is a skin inflammatory condition associated with an increased risk for the development of food allergies. While basophils produce cytokines that promote type 2 allergic inflammation (e.g. IL-4, IL-13), their abundance in the skin is low, and it was unclear whether their role was made redundant by other pro-inflammatory immune cell types. Dr. Raif Geha, in collaboration with FASI investigator Dr. Isaac Chiu, published a recent paper demonstrating basophils play an important role in augmenting allergic skin sensitization by acting as a major cellular source of IL-4 and promoting the ability of skin-derived dendritic cells to drive Th2 cell polarization. Explore the full paper: https://bit.ly/3xT4ene #AtopicDermatitis #FoodAllergies #FoodAllergyResearch