The Fast Facts on Food Allergies

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) deems May National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. The AAFA uses May, often a peak season for allergies, to educate the public on various types of allergies, including food allergies, and how to keep people with allergies safe.

Who Do Food Allergies Affect?

The Food Allergy Research & Education, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life and health of those with food allergies, estimates that 33 million people in the U.S. have at least one food allergy. Nearly 1 in 13 children have food allergies.

What is a Food Allergy?

According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, “a food allergy is a specific type of adverse reaction involving the immune system.” The body produces a specific antibody in response to the food, and an allergic reaction occurs once the food is ingested and binds to the antibody.

What are the Symptoms of a Food Allergy?

Symptoms of food allergies may include:

• Hives, rash, flushed and/or itchy skin
• Swelling of the face
• Itchy mouth and throat
• Hoarse voice
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of consciousness or lightheadedness
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Coughing

Even if you’ve experienced mild symptoms of a food allergy before, symptoms can become severe at any time. Call 911 at the first sign of severe symptoms.

What Foods Cause Allergies?

While anyone can theoretically be allergic to anything, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004  and the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research Act of 2021 identified the 9 most common foods people are allergic to as:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish (e.g. bass, flounder, etc.)
• Crustacean shellfish (e.g. lobster, shrimp, etc.)
• Tree nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, etc.)
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soybeans
• Sesame

What’s the Difference Between a Food Allergy and a Food Intolerance?

Food intolerances and food allergies often cause some similar symptoms, but have different causes and different severities of symptoms. Food allergies affect the immune system and even eating a small amount of the offending food can cause severe or life-threatening symptoms.

Food intolerances often affect the digestive system alone and causes less serious symptoms. With a food intolerance, you may be able to eat small amounts of the foods that cause your symptoms without experiencing symptoms. By definition, a food intolerance is often inconvenient and uncomfortable but is not life-threatening.

How to Confirm a Food Allergy

If you suspect you or your child is suffering from a food allergy, it’s important to see an allergist, who can decide what tests are necessary, help educate you about your allergy and prescribe an EpiPen (epinephrine auto-injector), if needed.

Treating a Food Allergy

The best way to avoid an allergic reaction is to avoid the food(s) that cause symptoms. The best ways to do this are to check and double-check ingredient lists, ask the waiter or chef at a restaurant which foods may contain your allergens, and bring safe foods when leaving the house.

If you have a child with food allergies, talk to your child about not sharing food and what foods they need to avoid, let anyone around your child know about their allergies (including schools and daycares), and make sure your child’s school has an allergy action plan.

Your allergist will be able to develop a treatment plan with you. Minor allergic reactions may be able to be treated with prescribed or over-the-counter antihistamines, while severe allergic reactions will need to be treated with an emergency injection of epinephrine and a trip to the ER.

If you’ve been prescribed an EpiPen (also called an epinephrine autoinjector), make sure you know how to use it before an emergency. It’s also important that the people closest to you know how to give the injection. For a quick refresher on using an EpiPen, you can refer to our blog “EpiPen Safety” or call your allergist.

If you suspect you have a food allergy, speaking with an allergist or your primary care physician is the best place to start. If you’re experiencing a severe allergic reaction, call 911 immediately.