The Department of Allergy and Immunology at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne is now running information sessions for school communities on anaphylaxis. The sessions, held in Melbourne and regional Victorian centres, are available for school staff, parents, families, and other members of the community. The sessions are funded by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and attendance is free.

Two recently-published articles discuss the assessment process to determine the allergenic potential of novel proteins. Currently, no single factor is recognized as an identifier for protein allergenicity. The current approach is based on several factors known about allergenic proteins and includes multi-laboratory evaluation of novel proteins. However current approaches have not been thoroughly evaluated or validated for predicting protein allergenicity.

 Georgina Christensen joins the Allergen Bureau most recently from the Heinz infant food factory at Echuca. Georgina worked in Quality Assurance and Product Development roles with a strong focus on allergens.

As food proteins can be destroyed at high temperatures, it is hypothesised that when cooked at high temperatures the protein may no longer cause an allergic reaction. This hypothesis has been supported by the results of two recent studies published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Swiss researchers are working towards a universal allergy therapy using a molecular decoy. This therapy aims to work by distracting the overactive immune system, making the body behave as if it is under attack by a bacterium.  The distraction diverts any reaction away from otherwise harmless allergens.

A major study on asthma and allergies is being launched to follow 5,000 Canadian children from their mother's pregnancy until the age of five. Researchers will investigate the role of environmental exposures, infections, nutrition and genetics in the development of asthma and allergies.