Cows’ milk allergy (CMA) is one of the earliest manifestations of allergic diseases. Early dietary factors, like maternal diet during pregnancy, may play a role in the development of allergic diseases in the offspring. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal intake of fatty acids during pregnancy and the risk of CMA in the offspring. Our study was conducted in a population-based cohort, the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention study. We collected the maternal dietary data by a validated FFQ. We obtained the information on CMA in the study participants (n 448) from registers and from the parents. Dietary data and information on CMA were available for 4921 children. We used logistic regression in the analyses, and fatty acid intakes were energy adjusted. The maternal intake of SFA, MUFA, PUFA, n-3 PUFA, n-6 PUFA, trans fatty acids, ratio of n-3 PUFA to n-6 PUFA or ratio of linoleic acid to α-linolenic acid was not associated with the risk of CMA in the offspring when adjusted for perinatal factors, background factors, parental history of asthma or allergic rhinitis and infant animal contacts. The intake of α-linolenic acid was associated with a decreased risk (OR 0·72; 95 % CI 0·56, 0·93) of CMA in the offspring of mothers without a history of allergic rhinitis or asthma. In conclusion, the maternal intake of fatty acids during pregnancy is not associated with the risk of CMA in the offspring.

A cross-sectional study compared feeding difficulties in children aged 2–5 years fed a cows’ milk elimination diet due to food allergy with a control group on an unrestricted diet. All data were obtained online. Specific questionnaires evaluated three types of feeding difficulties: avoidant eating, picky eating and feeding problems. The median scores of feeding difficulties in the elimination diet (n 146) and control (n 109) groups were, respectively: picky eating (31 v. 27; P = 0·148), avoidant eating (3 v. 3; P = 0·508) and feeding problems (38 v. 34, P = 0·032). Picky eating was more frequent in the elimination diet (35·4 %) than in the controls (23·3 %; P = 0·042), but no difference was observed for avoidant eating (23·9 % v. 20·4 %, P = 0·508) and feeding problems (32·1 % v. 28·4 %, P = 0·541). Picky eating was associated with lower values of weight-for-age z-scores in both groups. Multivariate analyses identified associations of the three feeding difficulties with previous food refusal and/or inappetence in the elimination diet group. Current constipation and anticipatory gagging were associated with feeding difficulties in both groups. In conclusion, children on an elimination diet presented higher frequency of picky eating and higher scores of feeding problems. Picky eating was associated with lower values of weight-for-age z-scores. Food refusal and/or inappetence as clinical manifestations of food allergy were associated with feeding difficulties at the moment of the survey. Current constipation and anticipatory gagging were associated with picky eating, avoidant eating and feeding problems.

It has been hypothesized that certain consumers tolerate untreated cow's milk, but react to processed (i.e. homogenized and pasteurized) cow's milk although they do not suffer from IgE-mediated cow's milk allergy or lactose intolerance. The aim of the study was to compare the tolerance of unhomogenized and homogenized cow's milk in lactose tolerant adults who had repeatedly experienced better tolerance of unhomogenized than homogenized milk. Forty-four subjects were challenged with homogenized and unhomogenized cow's milk for five days in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study. No differences in the symptoms during the challenges were found. Roughly half the subjects tolerated the homogenized milk better and the other half tolerated the unhomogenized milk better. The results of this study show no difference in the tolerance of homogenized and unhomogenized milk in adults with self-reported symptoms suggestive of hypersensitivity to homogenized milk.