13 August 2007
Food allergy facts
• Food allergy occurs in 6 percent to 8 percent of children under the age of 4 and in 4 percent of adults. The risk is greatest for a child born to parents who are both allergic.
• Peanuts and nuts that grow on trees cause most cases of severe food allergy reactions.
• Proteins in peanuts and a few other foods can produce an abnormal immune response in susceptible people. The person generates an antibody that stands ready to interact on the molecular level with the specific protein. When it is present in the body, cells are activated in sites such as the nose, throat, lungs, skin and gastrointestinal tract. The cells release chemicals such as histamine that cause the reaction.
• Reactions to food substances trigger roughly 30,000 episodes annually of anaphylaxis, a condition that can include itching, fainting and even death.
