Allergy Research:Study uncovers mechanism responsible for pollen-induced allergies ♦ Air pollutants could boost potency of common airborne allergens ♦ Should Minnesota do more to prevent food allergy deaths?

Should Minnesota do more to prevent food allergy deaths?  A Minnesota family is suing a restaurant for what they consider a fatal mistake. Scott Johnson died last summer after eating pancakes at a Bemidji restaurant. He suffered from a severe dairy allergy since birth.

Uncovering the effects of cooking, digesting of gluten and wheat allergens in pasta Researchers trying to understand wheat-related health problems have found new clues to how the grain's proteins, including gluten, change when cooked and digested. They report that boiling pasta releases some of its potential allergens, while other proteins persist. Their findings lend new insights that could ultimately help Celiac patients and people allergic to wheat.

Air pollutants could boost potency of common airborne allergens  A pair of air pollutants linked to climate change could also be major contributors to the unparalleled rise in the number of people sneezing, sniffling and wheezing during allergy season. The gases, nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone, appear to provoke chemical changes in certain airborne allergens that may increase their potency.

Study uncovers mechanism responsible for pollen-induced allergies When people are exposed to airborne allergens such as pollens, their immune system responds by sending neutrophils to the airways. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cells that move quickly to a site of injury or invading infection and cause inflammation. Now, a mechanism that is central to becoming allergic to ragweed pollen and developing allergic asthma or seasonal nasal allergies has been identified by a new study