Chlorine in Water Linked to Food Allergies

Can it be that people exposed to high levels of dichlorophenols (produced when chlorine is added to water) are more prone to food allergies? From Elina Jerschow, assistant professor of allergy and immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, “Our research shows that high levels of dichlorophenol-containing pesticides can possibly weaken food tolerance in some people, causing food allergy. This chemical is commonly found in pesticides used by farmers and consumer insect and weed control products, as well as tap water.” Reviewing the incidence of food allergies among 2,211 people who were participants in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the quarter with the highest level of dichlorophenols in their urine were looked at in detail. Researcher found within the study group the chance of having a food allergy - for example to eggs, peanuts, milk or shrimp - was 80 per cent higher than for those patients with lower levels of dichlorophenols.Oublishing the study in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, "In this population, we found consistent associations between high levels of dichlorophenol exposure and a higher prevalence of food allergies.”Among this group 550 or so people with the highest levels of the chemicals, their chance of having both a food allergy and an ‘environmental’ allergy - for example to pollen - was 61 per cent higher.Dr Jerschow adds: "Previous studies have shown that both food allergies and environmental pollution are increasing in the United States. The results of our study suggest these two trends might be linked, and that increased use of pesticides and other chemicals is associated with a higher prevalence of food allergies."However, she said that further studies were necessary “to confirm this link”.