Research review findings which “suggest” that introducing eggs to the diets of infants, between four and six months of age, may help prevent the development of egg allergy has been welcomed by the British Egg Information Council (BEIC).
The egg allergy research is bracketed with a similar allergy and infant feeding review carried out in relation to peanuts, details of which have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
“In this systematic review, early egg or peanut introduction to the infant diet was associated with lower risk of developing egg or peanut allergy,” it is stated in the JAMA report’s conclusions, along with the comment that these findings must be considered in the context of “limitations” in the primary studies.
BEIC responded that it was now looking forward to the (UK) Government’s review of complementary feeding for infants.
The Council also took the opportunity to draw attention to the fact that is it currently waiting for the outcome of the Food Standards Agency consultation on its proposed new advice on the microbiological safety of eggs, adding that the proposed advice says that eggs with the British Lion mark on can safely be eaten runny by vulnerable groups, such as babies.
