Most of us have an amicable, even loving, relationship with food. It nourishes us; it strengthens us; it even makes us happy. But every now and then, there is that one food or group of foods that, through no fault of our own, becomes an enemy. It makes us break out in rashes, feel unwell or even in some extreme instances, kills us. Food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities can change our relationship to food from one of joy to one of trepidation.
It is a global issue. Food allergies are becoming more common in countries around the world. In developed countries, the prevalence of food allergies is increasing, affecting approximately ten percent of the population. In developing countries, where food allergies were not broadly seen before, the number of reports on food allergies has risen decidedly.
Defining “priority” allergens and mandating their appropriate labelling has been an important part of the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) body dedicated to setting international food safety and quality standards. In 1999, the Codex Alimentarius Commission outlined a list of foods or ingredients that must be declared on a food label. These “priority” allergens are ones that cause allergies in populations worldwide and provoke significant reactions even when eaten in small amounts.
FAO and WHO are now reviewing new scientific developments in the area of food allergens to ensure that the Codex standards and guidance are up to date.
Here are five things to know about food allergens:
1. A food allergy is an abnormal immune response
A food allergy occurs when exposure to a particular food triggers an abnormal immune response. Allergic reactions can happen fast, within minutes of consumption or exposure, or they can take up to several hours to appear. Allergic reactions are unpredictable, with symptoms ranging from mild localized rashes to a severe anaphylactic response. Intolerances, like lactose, are not the same as the abnormal immune reaction caused by an allergy. Because of this, they are treated as a separate category.
Though some childhood food allergies have been known to disappear over time and there have been some successes with desensitization studies, there is no cure for food allergies. Prevention is the only solution.