Health authorities in the United Kingdom are considering revising infant feeding guidelines amid growing evidence that introducing peanuts and eggs to babies as young as four months can significantly reduce the risk of developing severe food allergies. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which advises the government, is scheduled to review current weaning recommendations later this year.

Currently, the NHS recommends that solid foods be introduced “from around six months,” but this position contrasts with changes made in the United States, Australia, and several European countries. Since updating its guidelines in 2017, the US has observed a decrease of up to 43% in new peanut allergy diagnoses among children under three. Australia, which now advises introducing solids from four months, has also reported declines in egg allergy rates. Similar adjustments have been made by health authorities in France, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Professor Gideon Lack, a paediatric allergy expert at King’s College London and leader of pivotal studies on early allergen introduction in 2015 and 2016, has called for urgent revision of UK guidance. He emphasized that early introduction of allergenic foods is beneficial even for infants with a family history of allergies, noting that initial reactions are typically mild and manageable with medical advice if they occur. Lack also highlighted the narrow developmental window in which the immune system can be effectively trained to tolerate allergens such as peanuts and eggs. He explained that waiting until six months to introduce these foods may miss this critical period, potentially increasing allergy risk.

The conditions for introducing solids include that the infant should be able to feed from a bottle or breast comfortably and show interest in food. To reduce choking risks, peanuts should be ground and mixed with water rather than given whole.

An open letter published recently has urged government advisers to update official infant feeding recommendations, advocating for allergen introduction from four months in infants who are developmentally ready. Among the signatories are Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, whose daughter Natasha died in 2016 after an allergic reaction to sesame concealed in a Pret a Manger baguette. The couple’s charity, Natasha’s Foundation, supports allergy research and has called for changes to prevent similar tragedies.

The Department of Health confirmed that SACN will review the evidence and provide updated advice following the upcoming meeting.

Food allergies affect roughly one in 13 children in the UK and are regarded by experts as an escalating public health concern. Research from Imperial College London found that hospital admissions related to food reactions tripled between 1998 and 2018, with the number of children suspected of having food allergies doubling in the decade leading up to 2018. Peanuts and eggs remain among the most common allergens involved.

Professor Lack noted that earlier medical hesitation to recommend solid foods before six months partly stemmed from concerns about potentially discouraging breastfeeding. However, he emphasized that breastfeeding can continue alongside the introduction of solids and that exclusive breastfeeding alone does not prevent allergies. In fact, he stated, prolonged exclusive breastfeeding without allergen exposure may increase allergy risk, underscoring a need for updated guidance aligned with current research.