The feedback we received on our prior article, “Experts Challenge RFK Jr’s Claims on Vaccines and Childhood Food Allergies“, received many comments, a number of which were along the lines of:
I for one am happy someone at the top is finally looking into this possibility!! Something definitely changed within the past 25-30 years to cause this horrible epidemic.
There is no doubt that food allergy rates have risen over the past few decades, and it’s natural for parents to wonder whether something in modern life — including vaccines — might be contributing.
But to claim that “someone at the top” is finally looking into this is patently incorrect. Studies examining whether vaccines could be a cause of food allergies have been conducted for decades.
Multiple high-quality medical studies have examined this question over the years. The consistent conclusion:
There is no credible scientific evidence that routine childhood vaccines cause food allergies.
Below are five peer-reviewed studies published in respected medical journals, followed by a brief FAQ addressing additional questions.
Infant DTaP Vaccination Timing and Food Allergy
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2016)
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26707796/
Participants: 5,276 infants
Researchers examined whether the timing of the first DTaP vaccine affected food allergy at 12 months. Children underwent skin-prick testing and oral food challenges (the gold standard for diagnosis).
Result: Receiving vaccines on schedule did not increase food allergy risk.
Newborn BCG Vaccine and Food Allergy
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2017)
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28660649/
Participants: 4,262 newborns
In this randomized controlled trial (the strongest form of medical research), newborns were randomly assigned to receive BCG vaccine or not.
Result: No difference in food allergy rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated infants.
Childhood Vaccination and Allergy in Adulthood
Journal: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (2009)
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20003161/
Participants: 1,379 individuals
Researchers followed participants into their 40s to assess whether childhood immunizations were linked to later allergic disease.
Result: No association between childhood vaccines and food allergy in adulthood.
Systematic Review of Food Allergy Risk Factors
Journal: JAMA Pediatrics (2025)
Link: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2844828
Participants: 2.8 million participants across included studies
A large review analyzing hundreds of studies and millions of participants.
Result: Vaccination was not identified as a risk factor for food allergy.
Rotavirus Vaccination and Food Allergy
Journal: Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (2020)
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32530362/
Participants: ~3,300-3,500 children depending on analytic subset
Researchers examined food allergy diagnoses after rotavirus vaccination.
Result: No meaningful increase in food allergy among vaccinated children.
Vaccines and Food Allergy FAQ
If food allergies are increasing, what’s causing it?
Researchers are studying multiple factors, including:
- Delayed introduction of allergenic foods (now reversed by early-introduction guidance)
- Environmental changes
- Microbiome differences
- Genetic susceptibility
Vaccines have not emerged as a supported cause.
Do vaccines “overload” the immune system?
No. Children encounter thousands of immune triggers daily from food, bacteria, and the environment. The antigen exposure from vaccines is tiny in comparison.
What about aluminum or other ingredients?
The amount of aluminum in vaccines is small and has not been shown to cause food allergy. Studies examining vaccine components have not demonstrated a causal link to IgE-mediated food allergy.
Should children with food allergies avoid vaccines?
In most cases, no. Children with food allergies can safely receive routine vaccines. Parents should discuss specific concerns (e.g., egg allergy and certain vaccines) with their healthcare provider.
Food allergies involve a specific immune pathway (IgE-mediated responses to food proteins). Vaccines stimulate the immune system in a targeted and controlled way — and current evidence does not support vaccines as a cause of food allergy
Parents should feel confident that following the recommended immunization schedule does not increase their child’s risk of developing food allergies.
At SnackSafely, we believe our readers deserve evidence-based answers, not conjecture. Food allergies are serious and deserve continued research — but current medical evidence simply does not support vaccines as a cause.
