Food Allergy

The Research Group for Food Allergy works to reduce the global burden of food allergy and investigates two fundamental questions: What makes a food protein an allergen? And why do some people become allergic while others do not? The goal is to translate the answers into new strategies to predict, prevent and treat food allergy – and to enable the safe introduction of novel and sustainable foods with low allergenic potential.

The researchers investigate the allergy and tolerance inducing capacity by conducting experiments in living organisms (in vivo), working with samples outside the body (ex vivo), performing cell-based experiments in the laboratory (in vitro), and executing computer-based analyses (in silico). In parallel, they examine how host-related factors such as the barrier function of the gut and skin, proteins uptake through the barrier, the composition of the gut microbiota and the immune status impact the development of allergy or tolerance, as well as how exposures to environmental factors contributes to this.

The group collaborates with partners in Denmark and abroad from academia, hospitals, and industry to generate knowledge that makes it possible to predict and prevent development of allergies, for example to new and sustainable foods. At the same time, the group plays an international role in developing and applying new tools for allergenicity testing, including the assessment of new food-protein sources The group’s research underpins advice to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other authorities.