Abstract: Due to the rapid growing number of allergic people, food allergy is a growing public health concern. The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in immune system development and function. Increasing evidences have suggested that the alteration in the composition of the microbiota caused by factors such as antibiotic use and changes in diet can contribute to increased sensitization to dietary antigens. This review presents the current understanding of the immunological mechanisms for oral tolerance establishment and food allergy development due to the loss of oral tolerance at the cellular and molecular level, discuss the potential pathways activated by commensal bacteria to protect against allergic sensitization, and provides an overview of some probiotics reported in the literature for the alleviation of food allergy. By understanding the interplay between the intestinal microbiota and the host mucosal immune system, this review aims to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of food allergy, thereby reducing its prevalence.

Key words: food allergy, oral tolerance, gut microbiota, probiotics