Uncover our advocacy efforts with authorities to enhance meals allergy prevention, administration and care. Find out about a brand new examine figuring out key elements contributing to meals allergy growth in youngsters. Learn concerning the newest meals allergy analysis that was offered on the 2026 Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Allergy, Bronchial asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) final month. Discover out how one can take part in a analysis alternative for youngsters with tree nut allergy. Plus, take a look at our mythbuster on fish allergy.
Advocacy in motion: Parliamentarians discover new alternatives to advance meals allergy prevention, care, and administration
Advances within the understanding of meals allergy are creating actual alternatives to cut back the danger and prevalence of meals allergy in Canada — and we’re advocating for the federal authorities to take discover.
MP Ben Lobb, Dr. Harold Kim, Jennifer Gerdts, Senator Cardozo, Dr. Philippe Bégin, Senator Youance, Beatrice Povolo
After years of advocacy, a big second for meals allergy coverage in Canada befell final month, a roundtable on the Senate of Canada introduced collectively parliamentarians, key bureaucrats, main medical consultants, and nationwide advocates to discover how these advances are reworking prevention, therapy, and day-to-day administration of meals allergy.
Hosted by Senator Andrew Cardozo, Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia and MP Ben Lobb, in collaboration with Meals Allergy Canada, the dialogue highlighted why these developments are more and more related to federal leaders and policymakers. The main target: making certain equitable entry to prevention methods, well timed prognosis, and acceptable look after all Canadians affected by meals allergy.
Along with Dr. Harold Kim and members of our Healthcare Advisory Board – Dr. Edmond Chan and Dr. Philippe Bégin – we initiated a crucial dialogue concerning the want for a Nationwide Framework on Meals Allergy to assist information coordinated, constant help for all Canadians impacted by meals allergy. This framework has been endorsed by virtually 50 completely different organizations nationally and globally.
This roundtable marks a optimistic and inspiring step ahead, signalling rising authorities engagement and a shared dedication to advancing meals allergy as a well being precedence. Collaboration throughout healthcare, coverage, and affected person communities shall be important as we work towards a safer, extra supportive future for all Canadians managing meals allergy.
“We’re at a pivotal second the place we are able to seize the chance to cut back the incidence and danger of meals allergy and enhance high quality of life for greater than three million Canadians, whereas additionally easing stress on our public healthcare system. Federal management is crucial to turning this chance into motion. This roundtable marks an vital first step in aligning analysis, coverage, and apply to drive measurable change.” — Jennifer Gerdts, Government Director of Meals Allergy Canada
“This roundtable displays Parliament’s dedication to pay attention, study, and collaborate. Meals allergy is a public well being challenge that touches households in each area of the nation, and it’s our accountability to make sure that rising science, efficient insurance policies, and group voices all form a stronger nationwide strategy.” — Senator Andrew Cardozo
Analysis: New examine identifies what can enhance or scale back the danger of meals allergy in infants
A brand new systematic overview at McMaster College in Hamilton Ontario checked out 190 analysis research from around the globe to grasp what influences meals allergy growth in kids. They discovered that there’s not one single trigger, moderately meals allergy develops from a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial and social elements.
The analysis recognized some early-life elements that may enhance the danger of growing a meals allergy:
- Delayed introduction of allergenic meals like peanuts or eggs
- Eczema within the first yr of life
- Antibiotic use throughout the first month of life
Understanding these danger elements helps dad and mom and healthcare suppliers know which infants could profit most from early prevention methods.
Encouragingly, latest analysis exhibits that meals allergy charges have declined in households who comply with early introduction practices. This examine reinforces the significance of introducing allergenic meals early and maintaining them within the eating regimen – serving to dad and mom take steps to guard their kids from growing meals allergy.
Our Government Director Jennifer Gerdts, one of many examine co-authors, notes, “Early introduction and continued inclusion of allergenic meals – central to our ‘Eat Early. Eat Typically.’ steering – has proven promising ends in decreasing meals allergy danger, however extra must be realized about further methods to forestall meals allergy.”
Be taught extra about early introduction
Obtain our useful resource that options sensible tips about learn how to introduce allergens to infants.
Early introduction part
Go to our webpage to entry webinars, sources, and movies on early introduction.
Analysis: Roundup from the AAAAI 2026 convention
Beneath is meals allergy-related analysis that was offered on the 2026 Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Allergy, Bronchial asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) final month.
Misinformation and social media
Allergy misinformation typically goes unchallenged in social media
Researchers discovered that allergy misinformation on platforms similar to TikTok, Fb, Instagram and X (previously Twitter) receives excessive engagement and little correction, permitting it to perpetuate. These discovering spotlight the significance of gaining access to evidence-based info.
You possibly can rely on Meals Allergy Canada to vet these postings and act as your credible supply of knowledge for the meals allergy group. Please attain out to us anytime at [email protected] in case you are uncertain about information you might be studying.
Peanut allergy
Youthful siblings of kids who eat peanut expertise elevated danger of peanut allergy
Youthful siblings of kids who eat peanuts have an elevated danger of peanut sensitization and allergy, nonetheless, this sensitization may be mitigated by early peanut introduction. The danger of peanut allergy was considerably decreased if the youthful siblings have been launched to peanuts of their first yr of life.
Be taught extra about early introduction and use our Eat Early. Eat Typically. useful resource for sensible suggestions and steering on learn how to introduce allergens to infants.
Remedies involving omalizumab (Xolair®)
Omalizumab is as efficient as multi-food OIT
Latest analysis exhibits that omalizumab, a medicine given as an injection beneath the pores and skin, is simply as efficient as multi-food oral immunotherapy (OIT) at serving to folks safely devour allergenic meals.
Picture courtesy of xolair.com.
Whereas OIT entails consuming small, steadily rising quantities of a number of meals allergens beneath medical supervision, omalizumab works by modifying the immune system to cut back allergic reactions. For folks with a number of meals allergy symptoms, multi-food OIT treats two or extra meals on the similar time.
Omalizumab will increase the thresholds for allergic reactions to widespread meals allergens
Whether or not used alone or alongside OIT, omalizumab helps the immune system tolerate extra of a meals allergen earlier than triggering a response. This analysis offers invaluable perception into the consequences of omalizumab on immune cells, offering specialists in allergy/immunology with further methods to watch affected person outcomes.
Analysis examine: Name for participation for youngsters with tree nut allergy
A analysis examine is underway in Hamilton, Ontario. The researchers are in search of kids aged 1-16 years who’ve been recognized with tree nut allergy, particularly to cashew, pistachio, walnut, pecan, almond, or hazelnut.
The examine is testing completely different immunotherapies to desensitize an individual with tree nut allergy by repeated exposures to very small quantities of tree nut by sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) or low-dose oral immunotherapy (IdOIT). SLIT is when a meals allergen is positioned beneath the tongue and OIT is when a meals allergen is eaten.
Meals Allergy Canada is concerned on this analysis by a affected person/caregiver partnership the place we offer enter to make sure the affected person perspective is taken into account.
Learn further particulars concerning the examine from the analysis staff. To study extra concerning the examine and in case your baby is eligible to take part, full this type or e mail [email protected].
Please share with others whose kids have tree nut allergy.
Analysis reminder: Larger danger of peanut- and unknown nut-related anaphylaxis throughout Easter
A previous Canadian examine finds a big enhance in instances of peanut and unknown nut anaphylaxis amongst kids throughout Halloween and Easter. For this examine, instances of anaphylaxis throughout six holidays (Halloween, Easter, Christmas, Diwali, Chinese language New 12 months and Eid al-Adha) have been reviewed compared to different days of the yr.
For peanut-related anaphylaxis, there was an 85% enhance in common day by day instances at Halloween and a 60% enhance at Easter. For these two holidays, a 70% enhance was famous for anaphylaxis attributable to unknown nuts (cases when it was unclear if the set off was peanut or tree nuts).
The examine notes that the distinction in anaphylaxis incidence could have been as a result of social setting of the vacation. At Halloween and Easter, kids typically obtain candies/treats from individuals who will not be conscious of their meals allergy symptoms, in distinction to Christmas celebrations amongst household and buddies who’re extra vigilant about allergen publicity.
One other issue could also be product labelling, as some “snack” measurement candies/treats don’t present a full ingredient record. This analysis factors to the significance of anaphylaxis training and the necessity to comply with security practices like label studying.
That can assist you and your loved ones guarantee your Easter treats are secure, take a look at our label studying suggestions.
Mythbuster: If somebody has a fish allergy, ought to they keep away from all seafood?
FACT: Fish (e.g., trout, salmon), crustaceans (e.g., lobster, shrimp), and molluscs (e.g., scallops, clams) are generally collectively known as seafood. Folks allergic to at least one kind of seafood will not be allergic to other forms of seafood. For instance, some folks can eat lobster or clams however not fish. It’s also potential to be allergic to some forms of fish however not others. In case you are allergic to at least one kind of seafood, discuss to your allergist earlier than you contemplate consuming different sorts.
Be taught extra about these precedence allergens
Crustaceans and molluscsAssist us educate your communities and share this mythbuster with them! Discover extra mythbusters at foodallergycanada.ca/mythbusters.
Tags: advocacy, EASTER, Holidays, mythbuster, Analysis, tree nut allergy
