Research carried out at the University of Michigan has discovered that plant fibre inulin could be a potentially effective treatment for a variety of food allergies.
Inulin is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that is commonly derived from chicory. Once extracted, inulin has a number of applications, including as a dietary fibre for processed foods, as a replacement for sweeteners, and as a supplement to improve insulin resistance in individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The research team at the University of Michigan says its findings, which were published in the science and engineering journal Natural Materials, point to a gel-based orally-delivered inulin immunotherapy treatment that could promise relief to food allergy sufferers all over the world.
The initial research has shown how the inulin gel helps prevent severe allergic reactions in mice to common foods such as peanuts, egg whites, and milk by targeting the bacteria in the gut. The study was carried out on mice with a predisposition to food allergies. The mice were administered a dose of the inulin gel, which was designed to incorporate an allergen that normalises the microbiota and metabolites that trigger food intolerance.
The team of scientists chose this approach because an imbalance of gut microbiota is linked to the increasing prevalence of food allergies. The scientists wanted to find a solution that would tackle the root cause of allergies, rather than just treat the symptoms.
The research was organised by the University of Michigan but involved an international team of scientists with expertise in pharmaceutical sciences, bio medics, and engineering. It was led by James Moon, from the University of Michigan’s College of Pharmacy, who has been studying the potential of inulin to treat disease for many years. His lab is focused on developing drug delivery technologies that combine pharmaceutics and engineering solutions that help the body to fight disease.
"Inulin, a widely consumed dietary fibre recognised as safe by the FDA [United States Food and Drug Administration] forms the basis of the gel, making it a feasible and translatable option for clinical use," said Moon. “Inulin is also an inexpensive dietary fibre. Thus, we anticipate that our inulin-gel product would provide an economical therapy for patients.”
The research found that the inulin gel developed by the team to include an allergen, helped to normalise imbalances in the intestinal microbiota and metabolites in mice that were prone to food allergies. This led to allergen-specific oral tolerance that effectively helped suppress allergic reactions to several food allergies.
While the research team emphasises that further clinical trials and research are necessary, its findings point to the role the small intestine’s microbiota and metabolites play in allergic responses to various foods and show how inulin can be administered to help regulate the gut, in turn lowering the risk of adverse allergic reaction.
“We are currently conducting a human trial where we examine the safety and tolerability of inulin-gel. We are working to translate our results to human patient trials next,” Moon added.
The incidence of food allergies has been on the rise over the past 30 years, particularly in developed countries, where ultra-processed foods have become highly popular, a phenomenon that is also tied to increased obesity rates.
Peanut allergies are largely thought to be the most widespread food allergy in the world. While a treatment for peanut allergies was approved by the US FDA in 2020, it is said to be inappropriate for all allergy sufferers, particularly those aged between 4 and 17. On top of this, there are currently no other approved food allergy treatments, which puts the spotlight on the University of Michigan’s current research into inulin.
Some of the highest incidences of food allergies have been recorded in the US. In 2023 more than 1 in 4 US children reported having a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. In contrast, almost 6% of US adults and children have a food allergy.
The Food Allergy Research & Education Organisation currently lists more than 170 foods that can cause adverse reactions, with milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish topping the list.
