Multiple Food Allergy and Intolerance

Food allergy is an adverse clinical reaction to food because of an abnormal immune response to food protein. Food intolerance is a reproducible adverse reaction to the ingestion of food or to any of it's components ie proteins, carbohydrates, fats and additives. Such adverse reactions include metabolic reactions, enzyme deficiencies etc.

In more than 50% of children with food allergy, adverse reactions to more than one food are seen. Children with allergy to several common food proteins like cow's milk, egg and peanut are termed as having “oligo” food allergy.

Multiple food protein intolerant (MFPI) infants are distinguished from “oligo” food allergic patients due to their intolerance of soy and extensively hydrolysed formula, in addition to a range of other food proteins. Infants with Multiple Food Protein Intolerance often come from families with an atopic (allergic) history.

Multiple Food Protein Intolerance is also recognised to occur in breast-fed infants. Most infants with Multiple Food Protein Intolerance tolerate low-allergen foods such as grain, vegetables, fruits, and meats in the second year of life. Infants with multiple food protein intolerance may be also allergic to soy, extensively hydrolysed formulae (eHF) and a wide range of other foods. They have complex nutritional problems and should be distinguished from those with sensitivity to common food proteins such as cow's milk, egg and peanut but who tolerate eHF and soy.
Infants with intolerance to extensively hydrolysed formula and soy can be safely and effectively treated with an amino acid-based formula.

A better prognosis is associated with an earlier diagnosis, predominant digestive symptoms and the absence of associated allergy to other foods. Therefore in infants with late diagnosed Multiple Food Protein Intolerance, dietary exclusions are often required up to 3 years of age.
A dietary exclusion regimen could be a serious obstacle for the baby because in order to grow, the baby must eat a substantial amount of nutrients; so to meet these nutrional requirments their diet is supplemented with a hypoallergenic amino acid-based formula.