baked goodsAllergic esophagitis, which may be triggered by consumption of milk, may after all not necessitate total avoidance. This conclusion was reached upon following a minor study in which findings showed that such patients were able to tolerate dairy products such as milk, if they were baked into cakes, breads and other products. Almost 75 percent of children who ate baked goods containing milk did not experience allergic symptom or even esophageal inflammation. The minor study in question was carried by the Managing Director of Massachusetts General Hospital, Paul Hesterberg, and his colleagues. The children who reacted to baked goods containing milk only experienced mild symptoms. There was one case of mild abdominal discomfort and two cases of troubled swallowing.

The findings obtained were in line with those obtained in a previous study indicating that 75 percent of children with a different milk allergy category could tolerate cakes, muffins, and breads baked using milk. It is quite challenging to stay away from milk entirely because many processed foods have it as one of the ingredients. The potentiality to incorporate milk and dairy products into the normal diet could have a major impact on quality of life, adherence to diet, as well as nutrition in milk-mediated esophagitis patients. Hesterberg’s group agreed that the results obtained in the study were promising. They however warned that their study involved very few participants and was retrospective. They emphasized on the need to validate the results found using a prospective research study prior to generalizing it into clinical practice. One of the possible explanations for the results is that heating or baking alters the shape or morphology of the milk protein that triggers allergy. In this way, the immune system fails to recognize it as threat.