[Environmental factors as a cause of food allergy in childhood].

There is increasing evidence that both the prevalence and severity of atopic diseases are progressively increasing in developed countries. Similar trends are also observed in rural societies which are in the process of urbanization. If allergy is really malaise of modern society, what are the environmental and societal factors responsible for it's emergence? Authors discuss this problems underlining causative role of both factors in the development of allergic disease including food allergy.