WASHINGTON (AFP) – U.S. researchers said they have developed a promising potential treatment for children who are allergic to eggs.

The researchers gave seven young sufferers, aged from one to seven, tiny amounts of powdered egg each day.

The amount was progressively increased and after two years most of the children involved were able to eat two boiled eggs without a reaction, the researchers from Duke University in South Carolina and University of Arkansas said in a statement.

The children had previously suffered from vomiting, rashes and breathing problems after eating eggs.

Other allergies have also been countered by giving a small dose of the substance rejected by a patient. The two teams are now working on developing a similar method to battle peanut allergies.

Between six and eight percent of American children have a food allergy, according to the researchers quoting government statistics.