(L-R): Mark Dvorak, Mary Jane Marchisotto, Ryan Lepicier, Sherry Coleman Collins, Bob Parker, Eleanor Garrow-Holding, Jennifer Gerdts, Wesley Johnson, Gideon Lack.

By Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD

While the official comment period for the WIC Food Package updates has passed, that doesn’t mean the conversation has ended. There remains significant interest and concern in the medical and WIC communities focused on preventing peanut allergies by ensuring access to peanut-containing foods and appropriate education for early introduction. The National Peanut Board (NPB) team continues to be part of these conversations.

NPB participated in the National WIC Association National Policy Conference, which brings together local WIC staff, advocates and experts around emerging and pressing issues. This year’s event focused on changes to the WIC food packages, rethinking infant feeding in light of the recent baby formula challenges and innovations in how participants can access and use their benefits. Being part of the conference gives NPB a more in-depth understanding of what it takes to deliver quality nutrition services to families at risk and ensure peanut foods are part of the solution.

The NPB Food Allergy Education Advisory Council met at the end of February. This group of national and international leaders in food allergies, research, advocacy and schools gathered to discuss the latest work from their organizations as well as hot topics. The group discussed NPB’s work to educate stakeholders and USDA about the deficiency in the proposed WIC food package related to peanut allergy prevention and members shared their own work as well. The group confidently endorsed continuing to work together toward peanut allergy solutions.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) annual conference occurred after the Advisory Council met in San Antonio. This year’s conference included many education sessions about food allergies, including a number of sessions about preventing peanut allergies. During each session about prevention, the lack of inclusion of peanut-containing foods in the infant package was mentioned and discussed. In fact, during Monday’s plenary session about food allergies, Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH specifically highlighted the work of NPB in raising awareness about this issue. Dr. Gupta has been a stalwart supporter of access to peanut foods as a way to help prevent peanut allergies and will host the Global Food Allergy Prevention Summit 2023.

There continues to be broad support for the inclusion of peanut-containing foods for infants in the WIC food package. Although public comments have closed, individuals can continue to learn more about this issue, click here.

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