Food allergy is a group of disorders distinguished by the way the
body's immune system responds to specific food proteins.
In children, the following six foods cause the majority of food allergy
reactions: milk, egg, peanuts, wheat, soy, and tree nuts (ex: walnuts
and pecans). Children will often outgrow an allergy to eggs, milk, wheat
and soy.
In adults, four foods cause the majority of allergic reactions: peanuts,
tree nuts, fish and shellfish.
Symptoms of food allergies range from a tingling sensation in the
mouth, swelling of the tongue and the throat, difficulty breathing,
hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure,
loss of consciousness, to death. Symptoms typically appear within minutes
to two hours after the person has eaten the food to which he or she
is allergic.
Individuals with food allergy and asthma appear to be at an increased
risk for severe or fatal allergic reactions.
Statistics:
Eight percent of children younger than six years experience food intolerances.
Of this group, 2 to 4% appear to have allergic reactions to food. In
adults, an estimated 1 to 2% are sensitive to food.
Peanut and/or tree nut (e.g. walnut, almond and cashew) allergy affects
about three million Americans, or 1.1% of the population.
Approximately 150 people in the United States die each year from food-related
anaphylaxis.
4% of the population is believes to have a food allergy including
2.3% allergic to seafood.
New Research:
Peanut allergies in children increased two-fold over a five year period
from 1997 to 2002 (JACI Dec 2003; Scott Sicherer, MD, FAAAAI, et. al).
Exposure to peanut, when in peanut butter, vastly reduces the potential
for a severe reaction (JACI Jul 2003; Steven J. Simonte, MD, et. al).
New development of a peanut vaccine for long-lasting protection against
peanut induced anaphylaxis (JACI Jul 2003; Xiu-Min Li, MD, et.al)
Link found between food allergies and life-threatening asthma in children,
highlighting the important relationship between allergy and severe asthma
in children (JACI Jul 2003; Graham Roberts, MD, et. al).
Roasting may play an important role in enhancing the allergenic properties
of peanuts (JACI Jul 2003; Soheila J. Maleki, PhD, et. al).
New test developed that may prevent the need to perform blinded peanut
challenges, decreasing the risk for severe reactions to the challenge
itself (JACI Jul 2003; Kirsten Beyer, MD, et. al).
Patients with low peanut-IgE levels have a 50% chance of outgrowing
their peanut allergy (JACI Jul 2003; David M. Fleischer, MD, et. al).
Prevalence of seafood allergy in the United States determined by random
telephone survey (JACI Jul 2004; Scott Sicherer, MD, FAAAAI, et. al).
You can have fish allergy and eat it too (JACI Jul 2004; Scott Sicherer,
MD, FAAAAI, et. al).
Casual contact with peanut butter in peanut allergic children (Sicherer,
MD paper in JACI).