Science story

Food allergies are on the rise, and currently the only treatments for sufferers are either avoidance of the offending foods, or management of the reactions after consumption. But what if the current thinking about allergies is wrong? Elizabeth Forbes from the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research is one of the scientists trying to understand what causes allergies. She explains to Ruth Beran what she is testing, and also some of the controversial theories that currently exist about allergies.