Food allergy is not caused by a single trigger. It’s the result of a “perfect storm.”

By Ilana Golant, Food Allergy Fund Founder and CEO

February 13, 2026 - A landmark new study from McMaster University—spanning 2.8 million children and 190 studies worldwide—confirms what many of us in the food allergy community have long understood:

Food allergy is not caused by a single trigger. It’s the result of a “perfect storm.”

Published this week in JAMA Pediatrics, the research shows that about 5% of children develop food allergy by age six—and that risk is shaped by an interplay of genetics, eczema and skin barrier health, microbiome disruption, environmental exposures, antibiotic use, and timing of allergen introduction.

Among the most important findings:

• Infants with eczema in the first year are 3–4x more likely to develop food allergy

• Delaying peanut introduction beyond 12 months more than doubles the risk

• Early antibiotic exposure increases risk

• Family history compounds vulnerability

In short: genetics may set the stage, but early-life exposures and immune development determine how the story unfolds.

At the Food Allergy Fund, this is exactly why we invest in cutting-edge research focused on prevention, immune tolerance, and the microbiome. This study reinforces a critical truth: we cannot solve food allergy by focusing on one pathway alone.

We need:

• Better understanding of skin barrier biology

• Deeper exploration of microbiome-immune system interactions

• Smarter, earlier prevention strategies

• More diverse, rigorously designed clinical trials

Science is maturing. The urgency is growing. And the opportunity to change the trajectory for the next generation is clearer.

The question is no longer whether we can prevent food allergy. It’s how quickly we can move discovery into action.

We’re committed to accelerating that path.