A little bacteria wouldn't hurt. That's what scientists found out about Clostridia, common gut bacteria that could protect against food allergies.

They said that by inducing immune responses they could prevent food allergens that go through the bloodstream.

Cathryn Nagler from the University of Chicago, senior author of the study, said that the results suggest that environmental stimuli, that have affected the microbiota in which humans evolved, can contribute to the susceptibility of food allergies.

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According to the researchers, even though the causes of food allergy are still unknown, previous study showed that hygiene and diet probably caused food allergies.

To come up with their findings, researchers investigated the response of food allergies in mice, one set of which were germ-free, and the other set exposed to antibiotics as newborns.

Both sets were exposed to peanuts allergens. The team found that the mice had strong immunological response that produced significantly higher levels of antibodies against peanut allergens.

When Clostridia was introduced in the guts of these mice, the bacteria helped ease the allergic reactions.

The bacteria plus antibiotics in the form of interleukin-22 (IL-22), a molecule known to decrease the permeability of the intestinal lining, reduced the allergin levels of these mice, compared to other mice.

Nagler said that they've identified a bacterial population that can protect against food allergen but they must first sensitize the food allergen to get this to the human body.

The presence of these Clostridia regulates the process, she said.

However, she warns that cause and effect of their findings on individuals may vary and still requires further research.

Researchers said that even though there are still undetermined factors that can cause allergic reactions on food, their findings represent a new frontier in preventing food allergies.

Nagler said that researchers are excited on further finding out what the bacteria can do and they already developed a way to make this happen.

Mary Jane Marchisotto from Food Allergy Research and Education said that food allergies have affected 15 million Americans.

She said that they are very pleased to support the research conducted by Dr. Nagler and her collegues.