Epigenetic insights into food allergy: The potential role of DNA methylation in diagnosis and management

Advances in epigenetics have provided critical insights into mechanisms underlying complex immune-mediated diseases. DNA methylation, a key epigenetic modification found across eukaryotes, serves as a crucial regulator linking genetic predisposition with environmental exposures. This review provides an overview of current methods for detecting 5-methylcytosine and summarizes studies investigating the role of DNA methylation in food allergy. Specifically, studies have examined DNA methylation as a potential biomarker of clinical reactivity, tolerance, and disease severity, and as a regulator of pathways influencing allergic susceptibility. Interpretation across studies remains limited by several factors including methodological variability, small sample sizes, and inconsistent validation. Large-scale, standardized investigations are needed to confirm early findings and facilitate translation into clinical practice.