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Have a food allergy? Your broken skin barrier might be the cause

One emerging hypothesis explaining food allergies is that food particles first get into the body through a disrupted skin barrier, and the immune system in turn tags food proteins as an invader—something to be fought.
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One emerging hypothesis explaining food allergies is that food particles first get into the body through a disrupted skin barrier, and the immune system in turn tags food proteins as an invader—something to be fought.

Food allergies have risen in the United States over the last few decades. Research suggests that 40 years ago the prevalence of food allergies was less than 1%. But today that number is closer to 6%. But this trend is not present in all countries — and what people are allergic to varies globally. Today, we dive into the complex world of food allergies with Dr. Waheeda Samady. She's the Director of Clinical Research at Northwestern University's Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research.

Have a food science question? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy, edited by Rebecca Ramirez and fact checked by Anil Oza. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Aaron Scott
Aaron Scott (he/him) is co-host of NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. The show is a curiosity-fueled voyage through new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the personal stories behind the science.
Berly McCoy
Kimberly (Berly) McCoy (she/her) is an assistant producer for NPR's science podcast, Short Wave. The podcast tells stories about science and scientists, in all the forms they take.
Rebecca Ramirez (she/her) is the founding producer of NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. It's a meditation in how to be a Swiss Army Knife, in that it involves a little of everything — background research, finding and booking sources, interviewing guests, writing, cutting the tape, editing, scoring ... you get the idea.
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