Table 1.

Parameters available for evaluating the immune-modulating effects of foods in humans

Subjects	Beneficial changes to parameters induced by ingesting foods
Healthy individuals	Delayed type hypersensitivity ↑ (37–40), Antigen-specific antibody antibody production ↑ (41–45), Mitogen- or antigen-induced T cell proliferation and T cell number ↑ (46–51), NK cell activity and phagocytic activity ↑ (52–61)
Patients with hypersensitivity	Soluble CD4 level in serum ↑ (67), TNF-α level in feces ↑ (79), Inducible surface CD23 level ↑ (78), soluble IL-2R level in serum ↑ (67,78), Soluble VCAM level in serum ↑ (78), ECP level in feces or serum ↑ (67,86), IFN-γ production ↑ (81), TGF-β level ↑ (67), eosinophil number ↑ (81)
Subjects in immunocompromised state	Phagocytic activity ↑ (133), NK cell number ↑ (134,137), T cell number and IFN-γ level in serum ↑ (135), Delayed type hypersensitivity ↑ (133,135), NK cell activity ↑ (139), antigen-specific antibody production ↑ (140), T cell number and IgG level in serum ↑ (141)