ABSTRACT
Food allergies are classified into two categories: those that are mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies and those mediated by immune cells. Allergic disease, and in particular food allergies, significantly impact general health perception, parental emotional distress, and family activities. The reasons why some individuals develop allergies are complex and multifactorial. The main hypotheses about the etiology of allergy include the hygiene and dual allergen exposure hypotheses. The hygiene hypothesis is based on the observation that people living in European farming communities have lower rates of food allergy and asthma compared to those in the city. The dual exposure to allergen hypothesis proposes that tolerance to antigens occurs in the neonate through high-dose oral exposure, and that allergic sensitization occurs through low-dose cutaneous exposure. Infants may be exposed to nutritional influences via the maternal diet while they are in utero, during breastfeeding, or as they start consuming solid foods.
