New ideas about how the body develops allergies are being explored by Assistant Professor Venu Gangur of Michigan State University. He works for the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and MSU's National Food Safety & Toxicology Center. Traditionally, it is thought that a person must consume certain proteins in order to develop an allergy to them. Dr. Gangur is exploring the possibility that this can also happen by exposing the skin to allergens.
In the past, it was believed that people became sensitized to food allergies by eating certain types of food, Gangur said. But through his research, Gangur found that the cause of sensitization actually might be from contact of food proteins with skin, he said.
For example, if skin ointments containing peanut oils are used on a baby's skin, the baby could potentially develop an allergy to peanuts, Gangur said.
Interesting stuff, if you ask me!
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