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Article by: Sharon Wong
Symptoms of food allergies come about when allergens penetrate the weakened intestinal barrier functions. These are some of the factors that can induce food allergies in the long run.
Empower yourself against food allergies by adopting healthy dietary habits. Avoiding foods high in additives, preservatives, sugars, and fats can significantly reduce the risk of food allergies. Instead, focus on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, which are associated with a decreased risk of food allergies.
So, how does this habit induce food allergies? It is reported that low consumption of dietary fibers leads to the degradation of intestinal mucus via the microbiome. Intestinal mucus contains high glycoproteins, carbohydrates, antimicrobial peptides, and IgA. It also houses our commensal flora, which gives immunomodulatory effects. In short, the mucus is a barrier to limiting exposure to antigens (harmful substances that can trigger an immune response) and maintaining immune tolerance. However, this flora can degrade the mucus if modified by the diet. This is not limited to ingesting high amounts of advanced glycation end products, such as ultra-processed food. Based on one of the studies, by exposing epithelial cell cultures from children at risk of food allergy to such food, the tight junctions between the epithelial cells would be altered, decreasing the cohesion of the intestinal barrier.
Next, researchers also discovered that detergents, emulsifiers, and microplastics play a role in the occurrence of food allergy symptoms, too. Detergent residues from washed dishes can alter the barrier by inducing the overexpression of genes involved in immune response and inflammatory processes. As for the emulsifiers, it thickens the dense part of the intestinal mucus, limiting the interactions between the epithelial cells and the intestinal flora. This disruption causes the microbiota to be modified, which expresses more proinflammatory molecules, such as flagellins and lipopolysaccharides, eventually causing chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. Lastly, studies in mice, such as the one conducted by Lecrubier in 2024, show that microplastics can penetrate the epithelium and induce dysbiosis (a phenomenon where there is an imbalance in the gut microbiota). This decreases mucus production and weakens the intestinal barrier function.
References:
Lecrubier, A. (2024). Can Chemical Agents and Pollens Induce Food Allergies? [online] Medscape. Available at: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/can-chemical-agents-and-pollens-induce-food-allergies-2024a1000b1f?form=fpf [Accessed: 2 July 2024].
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