On Apr. 29, 2021, researchers at the University of British Columbia announced a study published in Cell Reports Medicine that has shown that the composition of a babyﾒs first poopﾗa thick, dark green substance known as meconiumﾗis associated with whether or not a child will develop allergies within their first year of life.

Meconium, which is typically passed within the first day of life, is made up of a variety of materials ingested and excreted during development, ranging from skin cells, amniotic fluid and various molecules known as metabolites.