According to a recent Australian study (based on 31 food allergic babies less than 12 months old), rice, one of the first solid foods given to infants during weaning, appears to be related to Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis (a Food Allergy related disease).

The study shows that Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis appears to be related to rice in 14 infants, to cow milk in 10 infants and to soy in 7 infants.
Moreover, researchers compared these data with an increasing rice consumption in Australia, and feel that this may be a contributing factor for the association between Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis and rice: Australians almost doubled their rice consumption in 10 years.

However, researchers underlined that all children with rice Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis (based on the study) had their first reaction at 3-6 months of age, while Australian dietary guidelines recommended rice as one of the first solids to be introduced into an infant's diet between the ages of 4 and 7 months. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants until six months of age.

In 2003, a survey of almost 1,800 children in Australia found about 90% of infants had started eating solid foods before they were 6 months old and that 70% of participants ate rice cereal as their first solid food.

Source:

• the Bloomberg News
• Archives of Disease in Childhood

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