Are inorganic food additives to blame for our allergies?

Posted: 18th January 2023 | Posted by Costa

Are inorganic food additives to blame for our allergies?

Sometimes, in life, not everything has an answer. And allergies are no different. While there are plenty of theories out there, there’s no singular concrete explanation for why we develop allergies. For some, they develop them as young children. Others develop them later in life. It’s a bit of a mystery.

So it’s no surprise that plenty of research goes into trying to find out what’s going on. And one recent review has thrown its own ideas into the ring. But does it get us any closer to finding an answer? Let’s take a look and see what it has to say…

The review

A team including Mohammad Issa of Université Paris-Saclay conducted a thorough review into the effects of something called ‘nanoparticles’ on our health. Specifically, those used throughout food production. They set out to look into how these nanoparticles affect babies when ingested by the mother.

The theory was that an increase in the use of inorganic nanoparticles was playing its part in rising allergy cases. And that unaware mothers were passing these on through the placental barrier or breast milk, thus increasing the risk of food allergies in their babies and infants. The full review is quite complicated, so let’s break down where these nanoparticles come from.

Nanoparticles

The review highlights three main areas where nanoparticles are likely to enter our system. First, they mention phytosanitary products – these are products used in agriculture to protect plants. They’re likely to be fertilisers or pesticides.

Then there are processing aids, which are used during food production but aren’t usually listed in the ingredients. Their purpose will be different from food to food. But they could be something used to elongate shelf-life or stop a build-up of foam.

Finally, there are ‘food contact materials’ – i.e. objects or surfaces that food will come into contact with during food production. Think storage tanks, worktops, conveyor belts, and so on.

What all three of these have in common is that nanoparticles are being used more and more often. They greatly benefit the food production process, making it quicker and easier to prepare food. But this review aimed to look at the potential long-term impacts of using these.

What does this all mean?

As of right now, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. This is a review, not a study; it wasn’t looking at a direct connection between nanoparticles and allergies. All it sought to do was point out that nanoparticles can cross that placental barrier. And when they do that, it can affect intestinal microbiomes which can, in turn, potentially lead to allergies.

It’s more saying “there may be a link we need to be aware of” than outright confirming they’re connected. That’s not to say it isn’t worth it. It’s reviews like these that force us to take a step back and ask if nanoparticles are the right thing. And it’s another step towards potentially pinning down exactly where allergies come from.

Karine Adel-Patient, who was part of the review, said it best: “The impact of such exposure on the development of food allergy has not been assessed to date. Our review highlights the urgent need for researchers to assess the risk related to exposure to foodborne inorganic nanoparticles during a critical window of susceptibility and its impact on children’s health.”

As always, we’ll keep you up to date with any other reviews and studies into allergies as they come along.

If you ever have any questions about your allergies, or those of your children, feel free to get in touch with us today. Our allergy specialists are always ready to answer any queries you have. Just call us on 02031 433 449 or register as a new patient.