Breast milk antibodies to foods in relation to maternal diet, maternal atopy and the development of atopic disease in the baby.

Breast milk samples were collected from 152 women during the first week after delivery. The levels of IgG and IgA antibodies to beta-lactoglobulin, ovalbumin and gliadin were assessed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The breast milk antibody levels did not differ significantly between mothers on a strictly cow's milk and egg-free diet, and mothers taking these foods. Moreover, the colostral food antibody levels did not differ significantly between atopic and non-atopic mothers. Neither was there any correlation between the colostral antibody levels and the development of atopic disease in the baby. I conclude that maternal antigen avoidance during late pregnancy does not affect the food antibody levels in colostrum. High levels of food antibodies in a colostrum sample seem not to offer protection against food allergy in the child.