Labels on food products containing peanuts may soon claim that early introduction of peanuts potentially reduces the risk of infants developing peanut allergy.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed the results of the Learning Early About Peanut (LEAP) study which recommends that infants 4 to 6 months of age with severe eczema and/or egg allergy be introduced to peanut after consultation with a pediatrician.
As a result, the FDA has approved the following language to appear on food products containing ground peanuts:
For most infants with severe eczema and/or egg allergy who are already eating solid foods, introducing foods containing ground peanuts between 4 and 10 months of age and continuing consumption may reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy by 5 years of age.
The claim will also include verbiage asserting that the results are from a single study and recommends speaking with the child’s healthcare provider.
“Our goal is to make sure parents are abreast of the latest science and can make informed decisions about how they choose to approach these challenging issues,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., said in a press release on the FDA’s website.
Keep in mind that whole peanuts are not appropriate for infants due to a risk of choking.
