Department of Health advice for pregnant women with a family history of atopic diseases to avoid eating peanuts and food that contains peanuts and not to give such food to their children until the age of 3 years is out of date and should be immediately withdrawn, says a report from the House of Lords.

The health department advice, which was first issued in 1998 and is repeated in government booklets given to pregnant women and new parents, is totally without evidence, the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee heard during its inquiry into allergy in …