Science Quickly Could Peanut Allergies Be Cured?
Aug 22, 2025
Maryn McKenna, a journalist specializing in food policy and public health, dives into the rising trend of peanut allergies. She discusses the alarming increase among children and explores the causes behind this surge, including environmental factors and diet changes. The conversation covers recent innovations like the FDA-approved Palforzia, aiming to desensitize patients. McKenna emphasizes the potential benefits of early introduction of peanuts to infants while maintaining cautious optimism about future treatments, shedding light on a critical public health issue.
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How Food Allergies Work
- Food allergy happens when the immune system wrongly treats food proteins as threats and overreacts.
- Reactions range from hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis depending on severity.
Food Allergy Numbers Are Largely Self-Reported
- Prevalence estimates rely largely on self-reported data rather than universal biological testing.
- About 1 in 10 Americans have food allergies, making them a significant public-health issue.
Why Peanuts Seem So Prominent
- Peanuts are prominent because they're common, portable, and used in many kid foods, not necessarily because they're the most common allergy.
- Shellfish actually affects more people than peanuts in U.S. data.