Researchers now based in Western Australia have published a free-access report on the most frequent food allergens causing immediate reactions in Swiss children of different age groups.
Overall, the most frequent food allergens were hen’s egg (24%), cow’s milk (20%), peanut (14%), hazelnut (10%), wheat (6%), fish (4%), kiwi and soy (2% each). In infancy, cow’s milk, hen’s egg and wheat were the most common allergens. In the second and third year of life, the top three food allergens were hen’s egg, cow’s milk and peanut, whereas above the age of 3 years, peanut was number one, followed by hen’s egg and fish. Eight allergens account for 83% of IgE-mediated food allergies in Swiss infants and children.
Reference: Ferrari & Eng. 2011. Swiss Medical Weekly. DOI: 10.4414/smw.2011.13269.
