Egg allergy in children: Patterns of consumption of homemade fermented milk products by mothers during pregnancy

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Background: During pregnancy, the mother's gut microbiota is passed onto the baby and the baby's gut microbiota resembles the mother's. The bioactive peptides and microbial metabolites contained in fermented foods help the formation of healthy gut microbiota. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate habits of consumption of homemade fermented milk and dairy products (FMP) during pregnancy by mothers of children with egg allergy. Methods: Mothers of children with egg allergy ages < 3 years (EA group [n = 93]) and age- and sex-matched healthy children (HC group [n = 77]) admitted to the pediatric allergy and immunology outpatient clinic between January 2023 and June 2023 were included in this case-control study. Data were collected by using the random sampling method. A sociodemographic form was used for the mother and child, and the frequency, amount, and variety of weekly consumption of FMPs (yogurt, cheese, tarhana, and kefir) during pregnancy were investigated. Results: The homemade FMPs during pregnancy of the mothers of the EA group were yogurt, tarhana, and cheese. The number of mothers in the EA group who consumed homemade yogurt (p = 0.049) and tarhana (p < 0.001) was lower than those in the HC group. Mothers in the EA group were also less likely to consume yogurt regularly (p = 0.036). Mothers in the EA group also consumed less homemade yogurt (p = 0.020), cheese (p = 0.001), and tarhana (p < 0.001) than those in the HC group. The diversity of homemade yogurt and cheese (p = 0.048); yogurt, cheese, and tarhana (p < 0.001) consumed during pregnancy was lower in the EA group compared with the HC group. Conclusion: Mothers of children with egg allergy exhibited lower frequencies, quantities, and varieties of homemade FMPs consumption during pregnancy. Consumption of homemade FMPs by mothers during pregnancy may protect against egg allergy in their children.