Ready, Set, Food! Supports The Declaration By Congress Of May 28, 2021 As First Annual "National Food Allergy Prevention Awareness Day"

LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives declared Friday, May 28, 2021 National Food Allergy Prevention Awareness Day. This resolution, sponsored by Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Congressman Ro Khanna, and Congresswoman Doris Matsui, was introduced to raise awareness of the growing epidemic of childhood food allergies and to encourage universal alignment the USDA guidelines of early allergen introduction in babies, which seamlessly aligns with Ready, Set, Food!'s mission to give babies the best chance at a healthier future.

"We can no longer afford the human and economic costs of food allergies...," stated Congresswoman Julia Brownley. This resolution is intended to bring awareness to the impact that food allergies have on individuals and families, as well as restaurants, retailers, and food manufacturers, and to encourage more research on effective prevention treatments. At the same time, the California State Assembly has designated May 28, 2021 as California's first ever Food Allergy Prevention Awareness Day in support of this growing national epidemic.

"With more than 32 million suffering from a food allergy today, we're committed to shining a light on how the serious impact of food allergies in our country underlines the need for early introduction of food allergens to address this troubling epidemic," explains Daniel Zakowski, CEO and Co-Founder of Ready, Set, Food!. "Thanks to the leadership of Representatives Julia Brownley, Doris Matsui and Ro Khanna, Food Allergy Prevention Awareness Day marks an important step towards advancing our commitment and generating more awareness about this public health crisis for parents, health care providers and most importantly, the babies."

The number of Americans with food allergies has been increasing substantially over recent decades, with a 50% increase in the number of people with food allergies between 1997 and 2011. Today, over 32 million Americans are living with food allergies. These allergies can significantly affect an individual's quality of life and how he or she interacts with the world. The cost of food allergies to American families annually is $25 billion, not counting costs to businesses that seek to accommodate individuals with food allergies. The cost of labelling, liability, manufacturing accommodations, and preventative measures taken by companies, schools, and other organizations across the nation is enormous.

That said, scientific research has begun showing promising signs of ways to prevent infants from developing food allergies in the first place. Studies about peanut allergies have shown that early introduction of peanuts when a baby is around four to six months can reduce the chance of developing an allergy, depending on the baby's risk factors. In fact, the updated USDA Dietary Guidelines of America, 2020-2025, encourages parents to feed their children egg and peanut products starting at four months of age to prevent the rise of future food allergies. While more research is needed, these early results are a positive sign in preventing food allergies.

Ready, Set, Food!'s organic and all-natural, three-stage guided system allows families to safely introduce the top food allergens and give their babies a head start on the path to food freedom. Founded by parents for parents, with a team of all-star physicians and leaders in allergy research, Ready, Set, Food! is dedicated to helping babies lead healthy lives. Following their own experience with childhood food allergies, founders Dr. Katie Marks-Cogan, Chief Allergist and mom, Daniel Zakowski, CEO, and Dr. Andrew Leitner, set out on a mission to make early allergen introduction safe, easy, and accessible. Backed by thousands of pediatricians and allergists, the patented system, which follows the results of proven clinical studies, has given more than 20,000 families the best chance at a healthy life for their baby.

CONTACT: Carrie Welch, 917-846-3599, [email protected]

SOURCE Ready, Set, Food!