Food Allergy

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
D. Ranjitha ◽  
A. Alosius
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Intolerance ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Consumer Protection Act ◽  
Tiny Amount ◽  
Labelling Information ◽  
Life Threatening

Food Allergen Labelling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA 2004) will improve food labelling information for the millions of consumers who suffer from food allergies. The act will be especially helpful to children who must learn to recognize the allergens they must avoid. This act estimated that approximately 2 % of adults and about 5 % of infants and young children in the United States suffer from food allergies and each year, roughly 30,000 individuals require emergency room treatment and 150 individuals die because of allergic reactions to food. Food allergy defined as an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food. This happens because their immune system over reacts to the proteins in that food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as digestive problems, hives or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. It's easy to confuse a food allergy with a much more common reaction known as food intolerance. While bothersome, food intolerance is a less serious condition that does not involve the immune system. As per FALCPA law, eight types of food allergy causing foods listed. They are milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut, peanut, soybeans and wheat. In this chapter briefly discuss about this eight food allergens.

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 Glycation end products and technological aspects of reducing immunogenicity of specialized food products for nutrition of athletes

Food systems ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-285
Author(s):  
I. V. Kobelkova ◽  
M. M. Korosteleva ◽  
D. B. Nikityuk ◽  
M. S. Kobelkova
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Maillard Reaction ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Body ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Consumer Protection Act ◽  
Heat Treated ◽  
Glycation End Products ◽  
End Products ◽  
Allergen Labeling

Food allergy, which affects about 8% of children and 5% of adults in the world, is one of the major global health problems, and allergen control is an important aspect of food safety. According to the FALCPA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 FDA), more than 160 foods can cause allergic reactions, with eight of them responsible for 90% of all food allergies in the United States, including milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, crustaceans and fish, also known as the Big 8. Most foods that are sources of obligate allergens are heat treated before consumption, which can trigger the Maillard reaction, which produces glycation end products. Symptoms of food sensitization are known to significantly affect the quality of life, gut microbial diversity and adaptation potential. In particular, in athletes, this can be expressed in a decrease in the effectiveness of the training process, which leads to poor endurance and athletic performance. In this regard, it seems relevant to study the effect of the Maillard reaction and AGEs on the immunogenicity of proteins and the possible relationship between these compounds and food allergy, as well as to develop measures to prevent the adverse effect of allergens on the body of a professional athlete and any other consumer.

scholarly journals Addressing Common Misconceptions in Food Allergy: A Review

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
Aikaterini Anagnostou
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Specific Ige ◽  
Oral Immunotherapy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Allergy Prevention ◽  
Diagnosis And Management ◽  
Skin Prick Tests ◽  
Food Specific Ige ◽  
Common Misconceptions

Background: Food allergies are common, affecting 1 in 13 school children in the United States and their prevalence is increasing. Many misconceptions exist with regards to food allergy prevention, diagnosis and management. Objective: The main objective of this review is to address misconceptions with regards to food allergies and discuss the optimal, evidence-based approach for patients who carry this diagnosis. Observations: Common misconceptions in terms of food allergy prevention include beliefs that breastfeeding and delayed introduction of allergenic foods prevent the development of food allergies. In terms of diagnosis, statements such as ‘larger skin prick tests or/and higher levels of food-specific IgE can predict the severity of food-induced allergic reactions’, or ‘Tryptase is always elevated in food-induced anaphylaxis’ are inaccurate. Additionally, egg allergy is not a contraindication for receiving the influenza vaccine, food-allergy related fatalities are rare and peanut oral immunotherapy, despite reported benefits, is not a cure for food allergies. Finally, not all infants with eczema will develop food allergies and epinephrine auto-injectors may unfortunately be both unavailable and underused in food-triggered anaphylaxis. Conclusions and relevance: Healthcare professionals must be familiar with recent evidence in the food allergy field and avoid common misunderstandings that may negatively affect prevention, diagnosis and management of this chronic disease.

Metabolic Disorders: Inborn Errors of Carbohydrate Metabolism

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sameer S Chopra ◽  
Gerald T Berry
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Glycogen Storage ◽  
Inborn Errors ◽  
Life Threatening Illness ◽  
Glycogen Storage Diseases ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Biochemical Genetic

The small molecule diseases include the inborn errors of carbohydrate, ammonia, amino acid, organic acid, and fatty acid metabolism. They are central to the cohort of biochemical genetic diseases that are often associated with catastrophic presentations and life-threatening illness during infancy and childhood. Many of these entities are now routinely detected through newborn screening in the majority, if not all, of the states in the United States. Several of these diseases have effective therapies that largely eliminate the signs and symptoms of disease. In many, however, the disease process is without an effective treatment or may be brought under control but not corrected. This review contains 1 figure, 6 tables, and 11 references. Keywords: glycogen storage diseases, galactosemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, hypofibrinogenemia, and thrombocytopenia, hypophosphatemia, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase deficiency

Food Allergies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmond A. Hooker ◽  
Charles Kircher
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
The United States ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Cell Mediated Immunity ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Rome Iii ◽  
Ige Mediated ◽  
Irritable Bowel

Food allergies are responsible for a considerable number of emergency department visits. Food allergy can be divided into classic (i.e., IgE-mediated) reactions to specific allergens after exposure via skin or mucosal membrane and non–IgE-mediated food allergies, which include T cell–mediated immunity, enteropathies to specific proteins, and mixed disorders (e.g., eosinophilic esophagitis). Food-induced anaphylaxis can be life threatening and requires immediate treatment with epinephrine, even if the causative agent has not been identified. This review describes the pathophysiology, stabilization and assessment, diagnosis and treatment, and disposition and outcomes for patients with food allergies. Figures show IgE-mediated allergic reactions to food and other allergens, classification of adverse reactions to foods, commercially available epinephrine autoinjectors, a sample anaphylaxis action plan, and a map showing school access to epinephrine in the United States as of September 4, 2014. Tables list potential food allergies with estimated self-reported prevalence, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease clinical criteria of anaphylaxis, non–IgE-mediated food intolerance disorders, Rome III diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome, food allergy mimickers, and potential criteria for prolonged observation. This review contains 5 highly rendered figures, 6 tables, and 54 references.

scholarly journals Trick or treat? – when children with childhood food allergies lead parents into unhealthy food choices

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali B. Mahmoud ◽  
Dieu Hack-Polay ◽  
Leonora Fuxman ◽  
Dina Naquiallah ◽  
Nicholas Grigoriou
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
The United States ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Unhealthy Food ◽  
Parental Gender ◽  
Fresh Perspective ◽  
Complex Relationships

Abstract Background This study examines the relationships between childhood food allergy and parental unhealthy food choices for their children across attitudes towards childhood obesity as mediators and parental gender, income and education as potential moderators. Methods We surveyed parents with at least one child between the ages of 6 and 12 living in Canada and the United States. We received 483 valid responses that were analysed using structural equation modelling approach with bootstrapping to test the hypothetical path model and its invariance across the moderators. Results The analysis revealed that pressure to eat fully mediated the effects of childhood food allergy and restriction on parental unhealthy food choices for their children. Finally, we found that parental gender moderated the relationship between childhood food allergy and the pressure to eat. Conclusions The paper contributes to the literature on food allergies among children and the marginalisation of families with allergies. Our explorative model is a first of its kind and offers a fresh perspective on complex relationships between variables under consideration. Although our data collection took place prior to Covid-19 outbreak, this paper bears yet particular significance as it casts light on how families with allergies should be part of the priority groups to have access to food supply during crisis periods.

scholarly journals Perception of food allergy among mothers of allergic children in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Youssef A. Alqahtani ◽  
Ayed A. Shati ◽  
Ahmad A. Alhanshani ◽  
Bayan M. Hanif ◽  
Eman S. Salem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Geographic Variations ◽  
Cross Sectional

Background: Food allergy (FA) is increasingly recognized with the highest prevalence in preschool children; there has been a significant increase in hospital admissions for systemic allergic diseases with anaphylaxis and food allergies. Hospital admissions for food allergy were noticed to rise from 6 to 41 per million between 1990 and 2000 worldwide . The prevalence of food allergy is increasing over time with significant geographic variations. It is estimated to affect 6% of children in the United States (USA); according to a study conducted in Makkah, by AL Mokarmah, the prevalence of FA among children attending the well-baby clinic was 22.5% and in Riyadh is 6% among children who visit the allergy clinic at King Khalid University Hospital. FA in children is usually caused by milk (2.5%), egg (1.3%), peanut (0.8%), tree nuts (0.2%), fish (0.1%), as well as shellfish (0.1%), with an overall prevalence of 6%. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a self-administered questionnaire was used in the data collection. After data were collected, they were entered in the Statistical Software IBM SPSS version 22. Descriptive and inferential statistics were obtained. Results: Out of 980 mothers, 49% were suffering from food allergy, while 28.6% of their children were suffering from food allergy. Shellfish was the most common cause of food allergy (38%). Conclusion: The management of FA in children is improving through the acquisition of new knowledge in diagnosis and treatment. Education of physicians and food-allergic patients about FA and its treatment is becoming recognized as an unmet need. Key words: Food allergy, mother, children, knowledge, prevalence, factors

scholarly journals Clinical utility of Basophil and B-cell biomarkers for monitoring disease activity in food allergy and food oral immunotherapy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore Kim ◽  
Richard L. Wasserman ◽  
Oral Alpan ◽  
Atul Shah ◽  
Douglas Jones
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
B Cells ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Ratio ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Cd73 Expression

As research in the field of food allergy is gaining momentum with new and emerging therapies there is need for both researchers and clinicians to have a better understanding on how to put all this new information into context in clinical care. We are continuously learning from other fields, such as oncology, that a one-shoe-fits all type approaches are becoming the practice of the past and there is need to incorporate markers of disease activity as well as drug selection into clinical care. In the United States, this can happen in two ways; laboratory developed testing and companion diagnostics, generally former leading the path to the later. The findings in this letter is a collaboration between four CLIA/CAP accredited in-office flow cytometry laboratories in Utah, New York and Virginia that are part of very busy food allergy clinics directed by board certified Allergist/Immunologists. The identification of changes in basophils and B cells during oral food immunotherapy are proving to be potentially useful markers in monitoring these patients. We show a high ratio of CD63 to CD203c and CD73 expression on B-cells, compared to healthy non-allergic controls and patients who have outgrown their food allergies. This ratio of basophil surface markers as well as B cell CD73 expression drops as patients are undergoing food-OIT. Quite interestingly, we see a similar low pattern in patients who have non-releaser basophils. Altogether these biomarkers are providing useful and important information monitoring patients and we have validated these assays for clinical use as laboratory developed tests. The Basophil Activation Test is used much more routinely outside the United States, and the powerful correlation it provides to oral food challenge outcomes is making it a very attractive tool. We have just submitted two manuscripts on the validation of the BAT as well as sample stability which is under review elsewhere. We expect more utility of the BAT in the United States in the future. Incorporating biomarkers to clinical care of patients with food allergies will provide to be important in assessing efficacy as well as complications of various therapies as well as monitoring the natural resolution of the food allergies.

scholarly journals Food Allergy: Labelling and exposure risks

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-118
Author(s):  
Nora Odisho ◽  
Tara F. Carr ◽  
Heather Cassell
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Food Allergen ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Consumer Protection Act ◽  
United States Food ◽  
States Food ◽  
Packaged Foods ◽  
Exposure Risks ◽  
Allergen Labeling

In the United States, food allergen labeling is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the implementation of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act in 2006 that requires packaged foods to clearly indicate the presence of any milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans, fish, and crustacean shellfish. Educating patients and their families how to read food labels includes reading the ingredients list as well as the declaration statement that begins with “Contains.” In addition, there is widespread use of precautionary advisory labeling, and patients should be counseled that these precautionary statements are not mandatory and not regulated and, therefore, do not necessarily identify foods with allergen contamination. An allergic reaction to undeclared food allergens as well as complacency with label reading, including precautionary advisory statements, remains a relevant risk for patients with food allergy.

scholarly journals Weighing the benefits and risks of oral immunotherapy in clinical practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-123
Author(s):  
Aikaterini Anagnostou
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Food Allergy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Oral Immunotherapy ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Allergic Reactions ◽  
Immune Modulators ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Working Together

Food allergies are common and affect 6‐8% of children in the United States; they pose a significant burden on the quality of life of children with allergy and their caregivers due to multiple daily restrictions. Despite the recommended dietary avoidance, reactions tend to occur due to unintentional exposure to the allergenic food trigger. Fear of accidental ingestions with potentially severe reactions, including anaphylaxis and death, creates anxiety in individuals with food allergy. Oral immunotherapy has emerged as a form of active and potentially disease-modifying treatment for common food allergies encountered in childhood. The efficacy of oral immunotherapy is high, with the majority of participants achieving desensitization and, as a result, protection from trace exposures and improved quality of life. The main risk of oral immunotherapy consists of allergic reactions to treatment. In general, rates of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are reported to be higher in individuals pursuing therapy options, but most subjects who undergo oral immunotherapy will likely experience mild or moderate reactions during treatment. Adverse events tend to reduce in both frequency and number in the maintenance period. The use of immune modulators alongside oral immunotherapy has been suggested, with the aim to improve efficacy and safety, and to facilitate the overall process. It is evident that the landscape of food allergy management is changing and that the future looks brighter, with different options emerging over time. The process of how to choose the appropriate option becomes a discussion between the clinician and the patient, which involves a joint review of the current medical evidence but also the patient's preference for balancing particular attributes of the treatment. By working together, providers and patients will ensure achievement of the best possible outcome for children with food allergies.

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