Appendix 2: Facts About Food Allergy

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  1. There is no cure for food allergy. Strict avoidance of the offending allergen is the only way to prevent a reaction.
  2. A food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks a food protein. Ingestion of the offending food can trigger the sudden release of chemicals, including histamine, resulting in symptoms of an allergic reaction. The symptoms can be mild (rashes, hives, itching, and/or swelling) or severe (trouble breathing, wheezing, and/or loss of consciousness). A food allergy can be life-threatening.
  3. The severity of a person's allergic reactions to food cannot be predictetd from previous reactions. Someone whose reactions have been mild in the past might react more severely during a next episode.
  4. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and can result in death. It is most often caused by allergic reactions to food, insect stings, medications, and latex. Food allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis outside of the hospital setting.
  5. Early administration of epinephrine (adrenaline) is crucial to successfully treating anaphylactic reactions. Epinephrine is available by prescription as an auto-injectable device.
  6. Food intolerance, unlike a food allergy, does not involve the immune system and is not life-threatening. Lactose intolerance, in which individuals have trouble digesting milk sugar lactose, is a common example. Symptoms of food intolerance can include abdominal cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.
  7. Four out of every 100 children have a food allergy, and studies show that the prevalence is increasing among children.[1],[2],[3] The reasons for the apparent increase in food allergy are not clearly understood by scientists.
  8. Although an individual can be allergic to any food, eight foods account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions in the United States: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
  9. Children typically outgrow allergies to milk, egg, wheat, and soy. However, peanut, tree nut, fish, and shellfish allergies are usually lifelong.
  10. Casual exposure to peanut butter (such as through skin contact and inhalation is unlikely to cause anaphylaxis.[4] However, allergic reactions can occur from airborne exposure to dust or cooking fumes.  

[1] Branum AM, Lukacs S. Food Allergy Among U.S. Children: Trends in Prevalence and Hospitalizations. National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief, No. 10, October, 2008.

[2] Sicherer SH, Muñoz-Furlong A, Godbold JH, and Sampson HA. US prevalence of self-reported peanut, tree nut, and sesame allergy: 11-year follow-up. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2010;125:1322-6.

[3] Branum, AM, Lukacs, SL. Food Allergy Among Children in the United States. Pediatrics 2009;124:1549-55.

[4] Simonte SJ, Ma S, Mofidi S, Sicherer SH. Relevance of casual contact with peanut butter in children with peanut allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2003;112:180-2.