Effect of technological treatments on digestibility and allergenicity of meat-based baby foods

When suitability prepared according to particular characteristics of hygiene and digestibility, meat is an important food for human weaning. The present knowledge on meat digestibility and allergenicity are not enough to justify removal of meat from a child's diet when there is risk but no clinical evidence of allergy. Based on these considerations, the role of technological treatments on digestibility and allergenicity of meat-based baby foods is considered.Eight children (five males and three females) suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD), aged 3.8 to 7.1 years (mean age 4.86 +/− 1.10 years).An in vitro multienzymatic digestibility assay was used to evaluate proteolysis in meat samples (from four different animal species). The experimental design included raw, steam-cooked (home-made and industrial cooking), homogenized (strained) and freeze-dried meat samples. Skin prick test (SPT) was performed to evaluate positive responses to meat samples (raw, cooked, strained and freeze-dried) from four animal spe...