Two new publications emerging from AllerGen-funded research provide insight into the relationship between precautionary allergen labelling (PAL – usually employing “may contain…” statements) and the actual allergen content of various Canadian foodstuffs. PAL is widely used in food industries. However, …

Precautionary labelling & peanut, hazelnut & milk in foodstuffs in Canada Read more »

An international panel of food allergy experts and stakeholders has published evidence-informed recommendations for managing food allergies in childcare centres and schools. Published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the research offers guidance for personnel training, stock epinephrine, …

New international recommendations for managing food allergies in childcare centres & schools Read more »

L to R: Drs Hein Tun & Anita Kozyrskyj (photo taken pre-COVID) New research published in the journal Gastroenterology has found an association between caesarean-section (C-section) birth and intestinal microbiota changes and peanut sensitivity in infants. The study also found the effect to …

Food allergies and possible links to infant gut bacteria, birth method, mother’s ethnicity Read more »

New research by AllerGen investigators Drs. Manel Jordana and Susan Waserman and their team at McMaster University has demonstrated that blocking a key pathway involved in the allergic response can fully protect against anaphylaxis. The article was published online in …

McMaster team finds blocking key pathway can prevent anaphylaxis Read more »

Eating eggs daily during pregnancy is associated with a child’s risk of developing food allergies, according to preliminary research from the CHILD Cohort Study (CHILD). Using data from over 3,400 Canadian mothers and their babies, the researchers found that children …

A mother’s prenatal egg intake may influence her child’s food allergy risk Read more »

A pilot study has shown that an experimental vaccine for cat allergy can reduce the systemic immune response and symptoms of allergic rhinitis in individuals allergic to cats, including nasal congestion, sneezing, nasal itching and runny nose. The vaccine, called Cat-PAD …

Peripheral blood analysis shows benefit of peptide immunotherapy for cat allergy Read more »

Walter and Maria Schroeder The CHILD Cohort Study and McMaster-based AllerGen investigators studying food allergy will be beneficiaries of a generous donation made to McMaster University in support of allergy research. Part of the donation of $10M made by Walter …

CHILD, AllerGen researchers receive generous boost from private donation Read more »

A new study led by CHILD Cohort Study (CHILD) researchers has found that eating peanuts while breastfeeding, combined with introducing peanuts to babies in their first year, may reduce a child’s risk of peanut allergy by age five. The study, …

“Triple exposure:” Mom eating peanut, breastfeeding & introducing peanut early could help protect against peanut allergy in children Read more »

There is a significant increase in the incidence of peanut and unknown nut anaphylaxis among children at Halloween and Easter, according to a new Canadian study published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). The study evaluated the average daily …

Nut anaphylaxis risk increases among kids at Halloween and Easter Read more »

A new approach to harmonizing food allergy phenotypes could improve genetic research in food allergy, according to an international consortium of experts convened by AllerGen researchers. The authors published their recommendations as a Letter to the Editor in Allergy, the …

Food allergy researchers propose diagnostic ‘tiers’ to improve food allergy genetics studies Read more »

Anaphylaxis to peanut has significantly decreased in children over the past six years, according to a new Canadian study that measured anaphylaxis rates for the nine most common food allergens. “Our study showed a significant decline in the number of …

Peanut anaphylaxis declining in children, overall food-related anaphylaxis still a concern: C-CARE Read more »