London: The world can practically get rid of the fear of food allergies in 10 years, if researchers at the Amsterdam University have their way in creating a vaccine that can help inactivate the molecules which trigger allergens in the body.
At the BA Festival of Science in Norwich, lead researcher Dr Ronald Van Ree revealed that creation of such a vaccine with no side effects was in sight.
The researchers are using the latest genetic engineering techniques to test how the effect of those proteins can be warded off which lead to adverse reactions in the body.
Dr Ree expressed hopes that scientists will be able to make a vaccine that will give the immune system ability to fight food allergies.
Once produced, these molecules will be used in conjunction with compounds designed to reduce inflammation, one of the most dangerous effects of allergic reactions.
"Taken together, these new developments provide good opportunities to develop strategies for the treatment of food allergies, both preventive and curative," BBC quoted Dr Ree as saying.
He also stressed the possibility of making altered versions of food allergy molecules in the laboratory.
"Importantly, this allows scientists to develop hypo-allergenic variants of these molecules for application in safer immunotherapy that will induce little or no side effects," he said at a meeting at the University of East Anglia.
Effective treatment will end the fear that food-allergic patients have for unwanted exposure to food allergens, he added.
About one in 70 people are allergic to foods such milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, shellfish, fish, soya, and tree nuts such as brazils or cashews.
Despite possibly fatal effects, deaths from food allergy are rare.
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