Preventing Food Allergies

WHAT ARE FOOD ALLERGIES? A food allergy begins when antibodies against a certain type of food are produced by the immune system in the body. The antibodies then attack the food when ingested causing the release of histamine. The histamine causes an allergic reaction such as swelling of lips or tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, hives, itching, or asthma. About 6 million to 7 million Americans suffer from a food allergy and about 150 to 200 people die each year from a food allergy reaction. Food allergies often appear in someone who has a family member with an allergy.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Some of the most common food allergies occur with milk, eggs, peanuts, soybean products, fish, shellfish, corn, wheat, and gluten. Some of these are listed by technical names only on food labels so be sure to read all labels carefully. Here are some technical names to watch out for if you have any of the following allergies:

Milk
Eggs
Corn
Wheat
Gluten
Caseinate
Albumin
Dextrose
Bran
All wheat items
Casen
Ovomucin
Deximaltose
Farina
Barley
Cheese
Ovomucoid
Corn syrup
Malt
Oats
Cream
Vitellin
Corn sugar
Wheat flour
Rye
Curds
Ovovitellin
Corn oil
Graham flour
Buckwheat
Whey
Livetin
Corn alcohol
Wheat germ
Lactalbumin
Powered eggs
Cornstarch
Wheat starch
Nonfat dry milk
Dried eggs
Glucose
Whole-wheat flour
Dry milk solids
Ovoglobulin
All-purpose flour

HOW TO DETECT A FOOD ALLERGY: The detection of a food allergy requires a physical exam, special diet, and diagnostic testing to rule out other conditions. Tests can include skin tests or blood tests. Skin tests may be helpful to determine which foods are triggering an individual's food allergy. Although, for the diagnosis of milk, egg, peanut or fish allergies, a blood test may yield more useful results than a skin test. Keeping a food diary of eating habits also helps to detect allergies to certain foods. If you think you have a food allergy, see a physician with special training in allergy and immunology.