Baby Food - Dietary Guidelines help to protect against Allergy

References: Summary from the opinion issued by the EU Scientific Committee on Food (SCF, 1991), the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGAN, 1993), the Nutritional Commission of the German Pediatric Society (1996).


Proper feeding is of utmost importance in preventing allergies:

• Exclusive breast feeding (BF) for the first 6 month provides the ideal protection
• Weaning foods should not be given too early (solid foods should be introduced at 6 months)
• Avoid strongly allergenic foods for the first year
• Add only one new food per week so that food that is not well-tolerated can be recognized and removed

Foods which are least likely to cause allergic reactions 

(to be introduced from 6 month)

Carrot 

Prune

Apple

Pear

Rice 

 Foods which are usually well tolerated, but occasionally cause allergic reactions

Wheat

Barley

Beef

Lamb

Cabbage

Corn 

Oat

Plum 

Pumpkin

Apricot

Broccoli

Chicken

Potatoes

Foods which are most likely to cause allergic reactions 

(to be introduced from 9 month)

Berries

Fish

Egg yolk

Legumes

Foods which are highly allergic

(to be introduced from 12 month)

Seafood

Peanuts

Egg white

*Higher likelihood of allergy in infants with a family history of allergy.