Early avoidance strategy
However, the early avoidance strategy has not worked, indeed food allergies have continued to increase. The latest available figures disseminated by the US-based group FARE which supports those with food allergies, reports that results from a 2009-2010 survey of more than 38,000 children indicate that 5.9 million children in the US – equivalent to 8 per cent – have food allergies.
Moreover, about 30% of children with a food allergy have multiple food allergies, this is more than one food to which they’re allergic.
However, in February 2015 the scientific community’s view of how to best deal with allergies underwent a sea change with the publication of the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, which showed that the introduction of peanuts between 4-11 months of age in a high-risk population dramatically decreased the risk of developing peanut allergy compared to late introduction at five years of age.
The findings were subsequently validated by further research and thus, while yet to be formalised, current thinking is that the early introduction of highly allergenic foods is likely to decrease the risk of developing a food allergy, see.
Inspired start food range
This research is the inspiration behind the groundbreaking launch in the US baby food sector of the very aptly named Inspired Start – a range of fruit purees which are specifically designed to introduce the eight common food allergies to babies aged four months and over.
Each pouch contains one gram of allergen protein, except for the banana and tree nut pouches, which contain one gram of each tree nut protein (almond, walnut and cashew) for a total of three grams.
The ingredients are US Department of Agriculture-certified organic and non-genetically modified organisms, there is no sugar added and the popular pouch packaging is 100 percent Bisphenol-A-free.
There are eight flavours available, one for each allergen and each pouch costs less than US$3. However, that is roughly twice as much as the most expensive mainstream organic pouches such as Ella’s Kitchen range from Hain Celestial, so it seems unlikely that the average parent is going to turn wholesale to feeding this range to their infant.
But, even if it is just those most at risk (where there is a family history of allergies, for example) a potential 8% of a sector the size of the US baby meals represents a considerable amount.
The reassurance and peace of mind the range offers for parents of food allergic children is worth its weight in gold.
