Role of gut microbiota in food tolerance and allergies.

Alterations of commensal flora may cause various gastrointestinal and extraintestinal diseases, including food intolerances and food allergies. According to the 'microflora hypothesis', alterations in the composition of gut microbiota in industrialized countries have disturbed the mechanisms of mucosal immune tolerance. Over the past few years several studies have looked for a role for probiotics in the treatment of food allergies with promising results.