There is currently no ideal way to prevent or treat food allergy, which is a daily problem for millions of people all over the world. In the project ALLEVIATE, the National Food Institute at DTU is working with Arla Foods Ingredients to develop protein ingredients that can prevent cow’s milk allergy and is in a partnership with ALK to treat peanut allergy.
Infant formula to prevent cow’s milk allergy
With Senior Researcher Katrine Lindholm Bøgh in the driver’s seat, The National Food Institute at DTU has partnered with Arla Food Ingredients to develop protein ingredients for infant formula that can prevent allergic diseases related to cow’s milk.
There are different types of infant formula. The conventional product with intact proteins prevents allergy well, but is not entirely safe. Consequently, infants could be at risk of getting allergy instead. The strategy developed at The National Food Institute aims to remove this risk.
“The protein ingredients we are developing with Arla Foods Ingredients will prevent that infants develop allergy to cow’s milk without compromising safety in the process”, Katrine Lindholm Bøgh explains.
"The protein ingredients we are developing with Arla Foods Ingredients will prevent that infants develop allergy to cow’s milk without compromising safety in the process"
Senior Researcher Katrine Lindholm Bøgh, DTU Food
Arla Foods Ingredients is producing the proteins while The National Food Institute is testing them.
“The project is showing promising results and we hope that it will end with Arla Foods Ingredients getting new products on the market”, says Katrine Lindholm Bøgh. The ALLEVIATE team has already managed to produce ingredients that are safer while preserving the tolerance outcome.
From cow's milk to peanuts
Meanwhile, the ALLEVIATE team is using the same principle for developing a drug for treatment of peanut allergy. Recently this resulted in a new partnership with ALK.
Existing drugs for treating peanut allergy do not work well for everybody. While some people develop adverse side effects, it simply has no effect on others. Allergy is in general a very heterogeneous condition. Consequently, different strategies and treatments are necessary to reach everyone.
“We have a composition with an efficient treatment profile that may also be safer and with diminishing side effects. We have to look at both safety and efficiency simultaneously. We are currently testing it at DTU with positive outcomes”, Katrine Lindholm Bøgh reveals.
The global market for allergy treatment and prevention is enormous and producing the products in Denmark may create new jobs and make a huge impact on society. ALLEVIATE is a great example of how spinning off technology for people can make a real difference in the world.