Since the second edition of The Peanut Allergy Answer Book was published in 2006, much additional research has been published in the field of peanut allergy and anaphylaxis, including new diagnostic tests and new vaccines and therapies, including oral desensitization and human trials for Chinese herbal medication. New information has emerged on the risk factors for the development of peanut allergy during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and in infant diets, which has led to a paradigm shift in how we think about what to eat and what to avoid.

National guidelines for the management of food allergies from the National Institutes of Health were published in 2010. In addition, there has been a great increase in public awareness of the societal impactof peanut allergy such as in schools and childcare facilities, in restaurants, and the food industry. This has led to the publication of national guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for school management of food allergies and anaphylaxis, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2011, School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, and legislation for restaurant guidelines for food-allergic consumers. The incidence of peanut allergies has tripled in the past ten years and continues to increase, yet the present management of peanut allergy remains largely preventive through avoidance and education.

The Peanut Allergy Answer Book, 3rd Edition, contains more than 50% new material, including new chapters such as “Is Early Avoidance of Peanut Good or Bad?”; “Should the Sibling of a Child with Peanut Allergy Avoid Peanuts?”; “Should I Avoid Eating Peanuts and Other Allergenic Foods while Breastfeeding?”; and “At What Age Should Peanuts and Nuts Be Introduced into the Child’s Diet?”