Between 50% and 90% of all severe allergic reactions to certain foods are caused by just eight products. The most common food allergies are caused by: milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and seafood.
The most common food allergies in adults are different from the most common food allergies in children. Children outgrow their allergies to the consumption of milk, eggs or wheat, but have shown intolerance to them in early childhood. Adults can develop an allergy later in life and allergens can be a wider range of foods.
Milk allergy
Frequency: Cow's milk is the most common food allergen, especially in young children - 2.5% of them have an allergy to it. It is predicted that 80% of them will outgrow their dairy allergy by the age of six.
Milk allergy is an immune response to milk protein, which is a different organic condition than lactose intolerance, in which the body lacks an enzyme needed to digest milk sugars. Children with a milk allergy should avoid all dairy products, not only those that are lactose-free such as: milk and dairy products, cream, as well as the consumption of many desserts and sweets.
Milk allergen can be found in items that we think should not be present such as: lean pastries, skin and hair care products, canned tuna and in some types of paint.
Egg allergy
Frequency: Eggs are the second most common food allergy in children. 1.5% of them are allergic to chicken eggs. However, they are not primary allergens in adults. It is estimated that 80% of children will outgrow their egg allergy by the age of six. It can occur in the egg white and/or in the yolk.
Many immunization products are created from viruses grown in chicken eggs. Ask your child's doctor if this is safe for them. Some types of anesthetics may also contain egg product. Egg can also be present as an ingredient in some types of bread and in sweets and pastries.
Tree Nut Allergy
Frequency: 1.1% of children and 0.5% of adults have a walnut and tree nut allergy.
They are persistent allergens and can remain so throughout life and are associated with a higher incidence of anaphylactic reactions (severe allergic reaction accompanied by an itchy rash, swelling of the throat and low blood pressure) than - milk, eggs or wheat. It is estimated that only 9% of children outgrow their nut allergy by the age of six.
Tree nuts in general are actually very different from each other and it is possible to be allergic to some, such as almonds, but not to other types. It is also possible to be allergic to all nuts as well as peanuts. As allergens, they can be hidden in various products such as: chocolate, mousses and creams, pastries, as well as in some children's toys, for the filling of which shells of some nuts are used.
Peanut Allergy
Frequency: 1.4% of children and 0.6% of adults are allergic to peanuts.
Allergy to them is often very severe and with higher levels of anaphylactic reactions, than it occurs with the consumption of milk, eggs, or wheat. It usually lasts a lifetime. Only 20 percent of children will outgrow their peanut allergy by age six. People who suffer from it have a high probability of also having an allergy to tree nuts, even though peanuts belong to the Legume family.
Peanuts may be unmentioned in some confectionery and sweets. Its oil can be used to bind together various sweets and pastries and as a thickener in making chili and can also be found in some skin care products.
Fish Allergy
Frequency: 0.4 percent of adults and 0.1 percent of children have a fish allergy. It is possible that this group is allergic to only one type of fish and not to another.
Fish allergies often develop in adulthood. They can be accompanied by serious symptoms and last a lifetime. In restaurants, it is possible to prepare food in fat, in which fish has already been fried, which will lead to its hidden consumption by an allergic person and to a severe allergic reaction. Some foods may contain fish gelatin (sweets, parfaits or candies, as well as in supplements and medicinal products), which is produced from fish bones.
There is also a danger that fish that are not stored well enough and are no longer fresh will develop high levels of histamine. This can lead to symptoms similar to food allergy, but are actually a sign of poisoning. It may be accompanied by swelling of the mouth or throat, difficulty breathing, nausea or vomiting.
Seafood allergy
Frequency: Allergy to them is most common in adults, for example: two percent of Americans over 18 are allergic to mussels, compared to 0.1% of children. This type of allergy develops later in life. In most cases, it is severe and is not outgrown or it cannot be overcome with prescribed treatment.
People may be allergic to crustaceans (lobsters, shrimp, crawfish) and/or molluscs (oysters, clams). The variety of products in which seafood allergens may be present undetected is very large. It starts from vitamins and specialized supplements, pet food and goes to fertilizers and fish food. Allergic people can feel sick even if there are particles in the air to inhale from hot or boiling dishes with seafood ingredients.
Soy Allergy
Frequency: 0.4% of children are allergic to soy. It is not a major allergen for adults. It is estimated that about 50% of children will outgrow their soy allergy by age seven. There is a risk that babies, for whom milk is a proven allergen, will also develop an allergy to soy if it is frequently consumed and in the form of replacement formula.
Soy is a very common ingredient in packaged foods and hair and skin products and even in gasoline. The filling of toys often consists of soy components. Some stuffed animals are made from soy fibers. Vitamin E is usually extracted from soy, and those allergic to it should carefully select their nutritional supplements and monitor the description of their content and the technology of their production.
Wheat Allergy
Frequency: 0.4% of children are allergic to wheat. About 80% of them will outgrow their wheat allergy by age six.
It is fundamentally different from coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, which is autoimmune. With it, both wheat and other gluten-containing grains such as barley and rye cannot be digested. Wheat allergy can be difficult to diagnose, because sometimes its symptoms only appear in combination with exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
Spelt - "the life of the pharaohs" and kamut contain the same proteins as common wheat and should not be consumed by people with an allergy to it. Traces of wheat can be found in some products such as: soy sauce, beer, deli meats, crab roll and in non-food products: such as glue, in "play-doh" toys, lotions and shampoos.
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to provide a roughly accurate list of their eight most common ingredients that cause allergies.
Highly potentially allergenic ingredients must be clearly labeled with a warning on food packaging. This way, in the USA, for example, food that contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein extracted from soy is labeled on the package with the following wording: "Caution! Contains soy.".
Manufacturers in both the US and our country are not required to include warnings about food allergens accidentally introduced during production or packaging (cross-contamination). However, positive examples can also often be seen.
There are products that mention which ingredients may have entered them in small quantities during the production process and are written in the following way: "May contain traces of nuts". This is a common inscription on some brands of chocolates. There is also information about what is not contained in certain food products and in most cases this is also exposed for advertising purposes. For some products, it is explicitly emphasized with more expressive texts on the packaging that they do not contain gluten, soy or dyes.
