Colostrum as a Protective Factor Against Peanut Allergy: Evidence From a Birth Cohort

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pediatrics
• Allergy Research

Background:

• Food allergies pose significant risks to quality of life and can be life-threatening.
• Early life feeding practices are crucial for immune development and allergy prevention.
• Colostrum, rich in bioactive compounds, plays a vital role in infant immune and gut health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if partial colostrum feeding (PCF) increases the risk of food allergy.
• To determine the association between colostrum intake and allergic outcomes.
• To identify early modifiable risk factors for food allergies.

Main Methods:

• Studied 666 mother-infant pairs from the Australian ORIGINS cohort.
• Categorized neonates into exclusive colostrum-fed (ECF) or partial colostrum-fed (PCF) groups within the first 3 days.
• Assessed IgE-mediated food allergy at 12-18 months using skin prick tests and maternal reports.

Main Results:

• 46% of infants were partially colostrum-fed (PCF).
• PCF infants showed significantly increased risk for peanut allergy (aOR 4.47) and multiple food allergies (aOR 11.44).
• No peanut allergy cases occurred in infants receiving ≥9 colostrum feeds/day within 72 hours, irrespective of formula use.

Conclusions:

• Partial colostrum feeding is an overlooked risk factor for peanut and multiple food allergies.
• Promoting colostrum feeding is essential for allergy prevention in newborns.
• Colostrum-based therapies may benefit high-risk infants.