(CNN) – Scientists believe they may have found a way to combat food allergies, but they say people may be reluctant to take it.
The Food and Drug Administration says millions of Americans, including children, have food allergies.
Top allergens include milk, eggs, nuts, fish, shellfish, and wheat, so the American Chemical Society considered studies targeting nut allergies using mice.
Researchers have found promising results against allergic reactions in laboratory tests on a bacterial compound called butyric acid.
This compound works by helping the growth of good gut bacteria and restoring a protective barrier in the gut, but there’s a problem.
Researchers say it “smells like dog poop and rancid butter…and tastes bad.”
They admitted that those who took part in the study had trouble swallowing it and those who did it digested it too quickly.
Scientists say they have investigated a new delivery system that butyrates a polymer that masks odors and tastes.
They administered it to mice and prevented them from going into anaphylactic shock when exposed to peanuts.
Researchers believe this treatment can combat many types of food allergies and inflammatory diseases.
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