To kick off our Food Allergy Awareness Month Live Stream Series, we had the honor of sitting down with Dr. Inderpal Randhawa, Founder and CEO of the Food Allergy Institute, for an insightful and inspiring conversation.
The information shared was too important not to revisit. Due to minor sound issues during the live stream, we’ve made sure this powerful interview is fully accessible—with captions on the YouTube video above, and we have summarized the Live Q&A Interview below.
📅 Originally aired live on May 7, 2025
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Facebook Live Interview Featuring Dr. Inderpal Randhawa, CEO & Founder of Food Allergy Institute
Hosted by Niki Jones, Owner of San Diego Moms
Niki Jones, San Diego Moms Owner:
You have a very extensive background, so I’ll let you introduce yourself and share a little bit about who you are.
Dr. Randhawa, Food Allergy Institute:
Happy to be here! This is Food Allergy Awareness Month, so it’s a perfect time to talk about this condition. It impacts around 9 to 10 million kids across the country—many parents and moms in your group are affected. I’m a bit unusual; I have five board certifications and am a pulmonary ICU transplant immunologist who happens to be an allergist. I got into the food allergy space 20 years ago, and today, we’ve built the largest organization for food allergy diagnostics and therapy in the world, with locations in San Diego and LA County.
Niki Jones:
And you exclusively treat children up to what age?
Dr. Randhawa:
We treat patients from about age one up to 25. We’ve expanded to young adults, but the majority are toddlers to teenagers. Our success rate is remarkable—we get patients from anaphylaxis to full remission, where they can eat like someone without allergies.
Niki Jones:
Let’s start foundationally. What is a food allergy?
Dr. Randhawa:
A food allergy is an immune response to a food protein. Often it’s one of the top nine allergens: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, or shellfish. The immune system sees the protein as a threat, triggering an allergic cascade—similar to a bee sting reaction. This can escalate quickly into life-threatening symptoms like throat swelling, low blood pressure, and anaphylactic shock. It’s very different from a food sensitivity.
Niki Jones:
Do symptoms appear immediately, or do they start with intolerance?
Dr. Randhawa:
Usually, the first reaction is mild to moderate—lip swelling, rash, maybe trouble breathing. But reactions often worsen over time. The immune system has memory, and repeated exposure can lead to more severe outcomes.
Niki Jones:
What’s your biggest piece of advice to parents after a new diagnosis?
Dr. Randhawa:
Take a step back. Don’t let it overwhelm your life. Carry an EpiPen, know your safety protocols, but also know most people aren’t allergic to everything. Seek out accurate diagnoses and community support instead of trying to figure it out alone. There are systems, like ours, that can help families find stability—and in many cases, full remission.
Niki Jones:
How common are food allergies?
Dr. Randhawa:
They’re definitely on the rise. Studies show about a 0.5–1% increase per decade. Environmental factors—pollution, pollen, and early immune system triggers—are believed to play a role. We’re not seeing it slow down either.
Niki Jones:
Is there a link between food allergies and asthma or eczema?
Dr. Randhawa:
Yes. The protein IgE plays a role in all allergic reactions—including asthma and eczema. About 40–50% of our food anaphylaxis patients also have asthma, and around 30% have eczema.
Niki Jones:
Can food allergies develop in adulthood?
Dr. Randhawa:
Absolutely. Two-thirds of adults with food allergies developed them after age 18. People who previously ate a food—like walnuts or fish—suddenly start reacting. Illness, environment, or infections like COVID-19 can unmask allergies.
Niki Jones:
One of our moms asked: When can you safely introduce honey?
Dr. Randhawa:
Avoid honey before age 1 due to the risk of botulinum toxin. After that, it’s generally safe. True honey allergies are extremely rare, but pollen or bee venom in natural honey could cause symptoms in pollen-sensitive kids.
Niki Jones:
Another question: Are food chemicals to blame for allergies?
Dr. Randhawa:
It’s not directly linked. While chemicals in processed foods aren’t ideal, the rise in food allergies doesn’t align exactly with the evolution of our food systems. We see allergies rising globally, even in places with different food supply issues.
Niki Jones:
Can you walk us through how allergy advice has evolved?
Dr. Randhawa:
In the 1990s, parents were told to avoid eggs until 6 months, milk until 1 year, peanuts/tree nuts until 2–3 years, and fish until 5. But that advice came from fear, not strong science. Today, we use more accurate testing and targeted recommendations—although standard allergy tests are still only about 50% accurate.
Niki Jones:
What should someone do if they suspect a food sensitivity?
Dr. Randhawa:
Start with your general doctor. Over-the-counter sensitivity tests lack FDA approval and are unreliable. You might be referred to a GI specialist or allergist for better testing. Often, symptoms are misattributed and need a more thorough diagnosis.
Niki Jones:
What foods should people with mold allergies avoid?
Dr. Randhawa:
Very few foods are linked directly to mold allergy. Yeast products (especially inactive yeast) and uncooked mushrooms can cause issues. Mold allergies are more respiratory—coughing, sneezing, wheezing—so the focus is usually on environmental management.
Niki Jones:
Let’s talk about your Tolerance Induction Program (TIP) and how it differs from Oral Immunotherapy (OIT).
Dr. Randhawa:
OIT involves weekly doctor visits and slow exposure to allergens over 9–12 months. It’s intensive, has a 30–60% success rate, and can cause reactions mid-treatment.
TIP is different. We use data and AI to analyze a patient’s immune response to hundreds of proteins. We use biosimilar proteins (not the allergen itself) to gradually train the immune system—mostly at home. Success rates are near 100% with less than 1% experiencing any significant symptoms.
Niki Jones:
Can children outgrow allergies?
Dr. Randhawa:
Yes—especially milk and egg allergies in early childhood, though we’re seeing dairy allergies linger longer now. But outgrowing an allergy is really about developing natural tolerance. Once your child can eat the food, keep it in their diet to maintain tolerance.
Niki Jones:
What’s your dropout rate in the TIP program?
Dr. Randhawa:
Less than 2%, usually due to travel or picky eating—not the treatment itself. If a patient completes the program, they achieve remission and food freedom.
Niki Jones:
Any favorite success stories?
Dr. Randhawa:
Just last week, a young man from Miami completed the program after 2 years and 4 months. He was allergic to peanuts, one tree nut, and dairy. He graduated our program with a cap and gown decorated with all his former allergens. He now lives without restriction. These are the stories we celebrate every day.
Wondering if the Tolerance Induction Program™ (TIP) could work for your family? Start with this quick quiz.
