Dietary treatment of food allergies.

Elimination diets are the cornerstone of the treatment of food allergies. The diagnosis has to be confirmed by double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC). The diet regimens need close collaboration of allergologists and dietitians. Allergy to cow's milk and the multiple food allergy syndrome benefit from amino-acid formulas. The main causes of failure of diets are: multiple FA misdiagnosed, non identified cross-allergies, masked food allergens in the diet, errors due to a lack of compliance or comprehension, risks of collective catering. Eviction diet regimens are published by CICBAA (www.allergienet.com/CICBAA). Dietary guidance in in atopic dermatitis of young children leads to a clear-cut improvement in 69% of cases over two months, 80% over six months, 91% over one year (with complete recovery in 46% of cases). The duration of elimination diets depends on the clinical follow-up and the modification of the reactivedose of DBPCFC. They may give place of oral tolerance protocols.