What is Food Allergen?
Food allergen is an allergen/substance that exists on food that is harmless but can trigger an immediate allergic reaction in some persons.
Food allergens are mostly proteins based, but there do have certain additives that are known to have allergenic properties and can cause food allergies too.
Food allergies are thought to becoming increasingly common worldwide, with more than 8% of children and 2% of adults allergic to one or more foods. The person who food allergies are caused by the abnormal immune system response to a particular food. It includes the creation of a particular type of antibody that responds to a certain food ingredient and precipitates an allergic response. The majority of responses result in minor symptoms, but there are some severe and even potentially life-threatening symptoms.
Symptoms of food allergies are different for every person. It can be some reaction as below:
- Hives
- Flushed skin or rash
- Tingling or itchy sensation in the mouth
- Face, tongue, or lip swelling
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Coughing or wheezing
- Dizziness and/or lightheadedness
- Swelling of the throat and vocal cords
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- etc.
Although it is common, but most of the country like US & EU enforce that the allergen in the food must be declared. In the US, FDA Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act 2004 (FALCPA) enforce that the allergen must be identified on the labeling.
Below is 8 major food allergen :
1. Milks
2. Eggs
3. Fish
4. Crustacean shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp)
5. Tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
6. Peanuts
7. Wheat
8. Soybeans
If you or your family have food allergies, please use the below precautions steps to reduce the risk of getting sick.
- avoid food that is allergic
- always check with the restaurant to avoid your allergic ingredients
- always read the food label
- learn to recognize the symptoms and consult medical care in the early stage
