London, November 9:

Mothers who drink organic milk during pregnancy and while breastfeeding can help their babies beat eczema, asthma and related allergies, accordingto ground-breaking research.

The study suggests the conditions can also be kept at bay if children drink organic milk themselves. Researchers conclude that ‘the consumption of organic dairy products, within context of an organic diet, is associated with the reduced incidence of eczema’.

There are growing concerns about the increasing prevalence of conditions such as eczema and asthma worldwide, especially in westernised countries. It is estimated that one-third of children in western societies show symptoms; in the UK there are fears that more children are being affected as a result of pollution and traffic fumes.

Researchers working on the Koala (a Dutch acronym for Child, Parentand Hea-lth: Lifestyle and Genetic Constitution) birth cohort study, which started in 2000, said research evaluating health benefits of orga-nic and conventionally gro-wn foods was long overdue.

The researchers suggest mothers who drink organic milk can produce breastmilk which provides some protection or immunity against allergens. They measured organic food consumption, eczema and wheeze in infants.