scholarly journals Review of statutory and voluntary labelling of food allergens

2005 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 475-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Boden ◽  
Ruth Dadswell ◽  
Sue Hattersley
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Arachis Hypogea ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Specific Symptoms

Food allergy represents an increasingly important health problem, with prevalence in Western Europe continuing to rise. While some reactions are mild, others can include life-threatening anaphylactic shock. It is estimated that food allergies affect 1–2% of the adult population and ≤8% of children. Relatively few foods are to blame for a large majority of allergic reactions to food in the UK, with most reactions being to milk, eggs, peanuts (Arachis hypogea), nuts, fish, shellfish, soyabean, sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and wheat. There is currently no cure for food allergy and the few available treatments are focused on relieving the specific symptoms. Consumers with food allergies and food intolerances rely on food labelling to enable them to make informed choices about the foods they eat. Whilst there have recently been important advances in the labelling of food allergens, these advances relate only to requirements for the labelling of the deliberate use of specified food allergens in foods sold pre-packed. In other areas the development of guidance for food manufacturers and retailers on how to assess the risks of possible allergen cross-contamination during food production and manufacture, and then to determine appropriate advisory labelling, is well advanced. Work to address the issue of how to provide appropriate allergen information for foods sold loose, or in catering establishments, is also in progress.

A Review on Identified Major Food Allergens: Characteristics and Role in Food Allergy

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 346
Author(s):  
Chhavi Arya ◽  
Chetna Jantwal
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Allergic Reactions ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Consumer Protection Act ◽  
Major Food ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Major Allergens ◽  
Allergen Labeling

Food allergens are the substances present in food that cause food allergy. Human body reactions to food allergens range from mild to severe life threatening anaphylactic shock. At least seventy different foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions and several other foods have been identified which have the potential to provoke allergic reactions. Majority of the identified food allergens are proteins. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) identifies eight major food groups i.e. milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans as major allergy causing foods. These eight foods are believed to account for 90 per cent of food allergies and are responsible for most serious reactions to foods. Several studies have been done which identify the major allergens in various foods. The present paper attempts to review the major allergens present in various food.

scholarly journals “How can you be allergic to peas?” – A qualitative study to explore food handler’s knowledge, attitudes and understanding of food allergens

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24
Author(s):  
David Allen ◽  
Graeme Mitchell ◽  
Michael Pascucilla
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
The Uk

AbstractIt is clear that there is an increasing proportion of the United Kingdom (UK) population who are suffering with food allergies and this combined with an increase in the frequency of eating away from home (where there is less control over the content of food) poses a significant risk. In December 2014, the European Union (EU) introduced legislation which aimed to ensure that customers with food allergens could make informed choices and safely consume food, without the risk of a potentially life-threatening reaction. The research used semi-structured interviews with staff from a BCB, located in the North West of the UK, as the aim of the research was to explore food handlers’ knowledge, attitudes and understanding of food allergens. The findings of the semi-structured interviews identified five themes: E-learning training programmes: the staff felt that these were ineffective and did not take into account individual learning styles. Responsibility: there is a lack of clarity as to who is responsible, with staff believing the key responsibility lies with the customer. Communication: similarly, communication, both within the kitchen and within the company was not clear and likely to give rise to confusion. Need to make a profit: the staff felt that the drive for profit meant that customer safety was being compromised, especially when staff numbers were reduced. Staff awareness: the staff felt confident in their own ability to prepare a safe meal but indicated that staff may be dismissive towards claims of allergen sufferers. In conclusion, these themes illustrate that a significant risk exists for allergen suffers, who rely upon the knowledge, attitudes and understanding of BCB staff to ensure their meals are safely prepared.

scholarly journals The management of peanut allergy

2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Anagnostou ◽  
Andrew Clark
Keyword(s):  
Peanut Allergy ◽  
Active Form ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Current Management ◽  
Emergency Medication ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Life Threatening

Peanut allergy is common and can be a cause of severe, life-threatening reactions. It is rarely outgrown like other food allergies such as egg and milk. Measures aiming to reduce its prevalence via maternal avoidance during pregnancy and lactation, or delayed introduction into the diet, have failed to show any benefit. Peanut allergy has a significant effect on the quality of life of sufferers and their families due to dietary and social restrictions, but mainly stemming from fear of accidental peanut ingestion. The current management consists of strict avoidance, education and provision of emergency medication. Families find avoidance challenging as peanut is hidden in various food products. Despite the fact that food labelling has improved, with a legal obligation to declare certain food allergens (including nuts) in prepacked products, it still causes confusion and does not extend to cross-contamination. In an effort to address issues of safety at school, a lot of work has been undertaken to better care for peanut-allergic children in that environment. This includes training of school staff on how to recognise and treat allergic reactions promptly. Recent developments in the management of peanut allergy, such as immunotherapy, have shown some promise as an active form of treatment, but larger studies are required to further investigate safety and efficacy.

ILSI Europe’s Food Allergy Task Force: From Defining the Hazard to Assessing the Risk from Food Allergens

2018 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
René R W Crevel ◽  
Stefan Ronsmans ◽  
Cyril F M Marsaux ◽  
Diána Bánáti
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Task Force ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Funded Project ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Europe Food Allergy Task Force was founded in response to early public concerns about the growing impact of food allergies almost coincidentally with the publication of the 1995 Food and Agriculture Organization-World Health Organization Technical Consultation on Food Allergies. In line with ILSI principles aimed to foster collaboration between stakeholders to promote consensus on science-based approaches to food safety and nutrition, the task force has played a central role since then in the development of risk assessment for food allergens. This ranged from consideration of the criteria to be applied to identifying allergens of public health concern through methodologies to determine the relationship between dose and the proportion of allergic individuals reacting, as well as the nature of the observed responses. The task force also promoted the application of novel, probabilistic risk assessment methods to better delineate the impact of benchmarks, such as reference doses, and actively participated in major European food allergy projects, such as EUROPREVALL, the European Union (EU)-funded project “The prevalence, cost and basis of food allergy across Europe;” and iFAAM, “Integrated approaches to food allergen and allergy risk management,” also an EU-funded project. Over the years, the task force’s work has evolved as answers to initial questions raised further issues: Its current work program includes a review of analytical methods and how different ones can best be deployed given their strengths and limitations. Another activity, which has just commenced, aims to develop a framework for stakeholders to achieve consensus on acceptable risk.

scholarly journals Prevention of Food Allergy: The Significance of Early Introduction

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale Comberiati ◽  
Giorgio Costagliola ◽  
Sofia D’Elios ◽  
Diego Peroni
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Preventive Strategy ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Early Introduction ◽  
Potential Food

Over the last two decades, the prevalence of food allergies has registered a significant increase in Westernized societies, potentially due to changes in environmental exposure and lifestyle. The pathogenesis of food allergies is complex and includes genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. New evidence has highlighted the role of the intestinal microbiome in the maintenance of the immune tolerance to foods and the potential pathogenic role of early percutaneous exposure to allergens. The recent increase in food allergy rates has led to a reconsideration of prevention strategies for atopic diseases, mainly targeting the timing of the introduction of solid foods into infants’ diet. Early recommendation for high atopy risk infants to delay the introduction of potential food allergens, such as cow’s milk, egg, and peanut, until after the first year of life, has been rescinded, as emerging evidence has shown that these approaches are not effective in preventing food allergies. More recently, high-quality clinical trials have suggested an opposite approach, which promotes early introduction of potential food allergens into infants’ diet as a means to prevent food allergies. This evidence has led to the production of new guidelines recommending early introduction of peanut as a preventive strategy for peanut allergy. However, clinical trials investigating whether this preventive dietary approach could also apply to other types of food allergens have reported ambiguous results. This review focuses on the latest high-quality evidence from randomized controlled clinical trials examining the timing of solid food introduction as a strategy to prevent food allergies and also discusses the possible implications of early complementary feeding on both the benefits and the total duration of breastfeeding.

scholarly journals Long term outcome of acquired food allergy in pediatric liver recipients: a single center experience

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antigoni Mavroudi ◽  
Ioannis Xinias ◽  
Aristidis Deligiannidis ◽  
Efthimia Parapanissiou ◽  
George Imvrios
Keyword(s):  
Liver Transplantation ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
The Third ◽  
Pediatric Liver ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Long Term Prognosis

Food induced sensitization has been reported in pediatric liver recipients. However long term follow up has not been established so far. We report here our experience regarding 3 pediatric patients who developed acquired food allergy after liver transplantation. The first patient suffered from persistent diarrhea and eczema. The second one presented with abdominal pain with no signs of rejection, abdominal discomfort, vomiting when ingesting milk proteins and responded well to the elimination diet. The third patient presented with facial angioedema and hoarseness of voice. She had multiple food allergies and reacted to milk, egg and sesame. All the patients had elevated total Immunoglobulin E (<em>IgE</em>) and elevated specific <em>IgE</em> antibodies to the implicated food allergens. The first patient presented clinical manifestations of allergy when she was 19 months old. The second patient became allergic at the age of 16 and the third patient at the age of 3. The symptoms of food allergy persisted for 8 years in the first case and for 2 years in the other two cases. Low levels of specific <em>IgE</em> antibodies to the implicated food allergens and an enhanced T-helper 1 cell immune response toward interferon-gamma production were markers of tolerance acquisition. The long term prognosis in our cases was excellent. Food allergy resolved in all the patients. The long term prognosis of acquired food allergy after liver transplantation is currently obscure. More studies would be needed including greater number of patients to determine whether acquired food allergy is transient in pediatric liver recipients.

scholarly journals From Allergen Molecules to Molecular Immunotherapy of Nut Allergy: A Hard Nut to Crack

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verena Fuhrmann ◽  
Huey-Jy Huang ◽  
Aysegul Akarsu ◽  
Igor Shilovskiy ◽  
Olga Elisyutina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Immunoglobulin E ◽  
Class I ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Allergy Diagnosis ◽  
Allergen Specific Immunotherapy ◽  
Tree Nuts ◽  
Carbohydrate Epitopes ◽  
Molecular Allergy ◽  
Life Threatening

Peanuts and tree nuts are two of the most common elicitors of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy. Nut allergy is frequently associated with systemic reactions and can lead to potentially life-threatening respiratory and circulatory symptoms. Furthermore, nut allergy usually persists throughout life. Whether sensitized patients exhibit severe and life-threatening reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis), mild and/or local reactions (e.g., pollen-food allergy syndrome) or no relevant symptoms depends much on IgE recognition of digestion-resistant class I food allergens, IgE cross-reactivity of class II food allergens with respiratory allergens and clinically not relevant plant-derived carbohydrate epitopes, respectively. Accordingly, molecular allergy diagnosis based on the measurement of allergen-specific IgE levels to allergen molecules provides important information in addition to provocation testing in the diagnosis of food allergy. Molecular allergy diagnosis helps identifying the genuinely sensitizing nuts, it determines IgE sensitization to class I and II food allergen molecules and hence provides a basis for personalized forms of treatment such as precise prescription of diet and allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). Currently available forms of nut-specific AIT are based only on allergen extracts, have been mainly developed for peanut but not for other nuts and, unlike AIT for respiratory allergies which utilize often subcutaneous administration, are given preferentially by the oral route. Here we review prevalence of allergy to peanut and tree nuts in different populations of the world, summarize knowledge regarding the involved nut allergen molecules and current AIT approaches for nut allergy. We argue that nut-specific AIT may benefit from molecular subcutaneous AIT (SCIT) approaches but identify also possible hurdles for such an approach and explain why molecular SCIT may be a hard nut to crack.

scholarly journals The significance of cow’s milk proteins in the development of IgE-mediated food allergy among children

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-44
Author(s):  
S Yu Petrova ◽  
S V Khlgatian ◽  
V M Berzhets ◽  
L A Pishchulina ◽  
A V Vasilyeva
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Whey Proteins ◽  
Milk Proteins ◽  
Specific Ige ◽  
Moscow Region ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Cow’S Milk ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Cow's Milk ◽  
Cow’S Milk Proteins

Identification of offending allergens in patients with food allergy is a very important part of an allergist’s activity. Objective. To study the structure оf sensitization to food allergens among children in Moscow and Moscow region and to determine the significance of sensitization to milk proteins . Methods. The level and class of specific IgE in blood serum of children with IgEmediated allergic diseases were examined with RIDA AllergyScreen method. Serum of children with high level of specific IgE to milk allergenic proteins was studied. The level and ratio of specific IgE to individual milk allergens were revealed. Results. The structure of sensitization to food allergens was determined. It was revealed that cow’s milk allergens are the leading triggers of food allergy, especially in early childhood in Moscow and the Moscow region. The features of sensitization to cow’s milk proteins among children were analyzed. Conclusions. According to the study, about half of children with IgEmediated food allergies in Moscow and the Moscow region have sensitization to cow’s milk proteins. The leading role in the frequency of sensitization belongs to whey proteins of milk. Among them sensitization to а-lactalbumin was detected more often. The questions about the selection of hypoallergenic milk formulas for feeding of children with allergy to cow’s milk proteins were discussed.

scholarly journals Food Allergy in Youth: A Primer for Allied Health Professionals

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Welch ◽  
Lauren Maziarz ◽  
Macy McCartney ◽  
Chelsea Raker
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Food Protein ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Specific Food

Purpose: Many youth struggle with the physical, mental, and social burdens of food allergy. The exact cause of food allergies is unknown, but several theories exist such as the “couch potato theory”, “hygiene hypothesis”, “microflora theory”, and “alarmins” theory. This non-systematic literature review summarizes the problem of youth food allergy and provides guidance to allied health professionals. Method: A literature search of the relevant literature from years 2000 through 2017 was conducted using PubMed with the key words “food allergy”, “youth”, and “management”. Results: Youth with food allergy may experience anxiety, social isolation, bullying, and depression, in addition to life-threatening allergic reactions. Managing food allergies successfully requires a team approach and begins with accurate diagnosis and identification/avoidance of specific food protein triggers. Conclusions: Several federal laws exist to help protect food allergic youth from accidental exposure. Allied health professionals play important roles in helping adolescents avoid life-threatening reactions to food allergens.

scholarly journals Atopy Patch Test in the Diagnosis of Food Allergy in Children with Atopic Dermatitis

2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miloš Jeseňák ◽  
Peter Bánovčin
Keyword(s):  
Atopic Dermatitis ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
Patch Test ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Atopy Patch Test ◽  
Food Allergens ◽  
Additional Tool

Atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) is one of the most common chronic allergic diseases in children. Among the allergens found to be relevant in AEDS, aeroallergens and food allergens are the most important. The exposure of these patients to their relevant protein allergens can trigger an exacerbation or maintain the disease. AEDS is frequently associated with food allergy, which complicates the management in approximately 40% of these children. Atopy patch test (APT) can help in detecting food allergies in children with AEDS. The earliest publication on patch testing in eczema was described in 1937 by Rostenberg, but the first controlled clinical trial was provided by Mitchell in 1982. APT with food allergens were introduced into clinical use in 1996 by the group of Isolauri. APT test is performed epicutaneously with typical immediate-type allergens (aeroallergens or foods). As a number of apparently minor test modifications greatly influence the sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the APT, the European Task Force on Atopic Dermatitis (ETFAD) has developed a standardized APT technique. APT has developed into a valuable additional tool in the diagnostic work-up of food allergy in infants and children with atopic dermatitis.

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