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Food intolerances and allergies

Learning objectives

• To identify the difference between a food intolerance and an allergy.

• To recognise the common food intolerances and causes of allergic reaction.

• To describe how allergens are identified on food labelling.

• To examine how allergens can be consumed inadvertently and discuss how to avoid this.

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Food intolerance

Most people can eat foods without any problems although they may have different likes or dislikes that influence what they choose.

However, some people react to certain foods and eating them may cause uncomfortable symptoms or, in rare cases, a severe illness.

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Reasons for food intoleranceThere are many reasons for unpleasant reactions to food. A general term for those that are not caused by food poisoning are food intolerances.

Food intolerance is more common in children than in adults. Children often grow out of the intolerance before they go to school.

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The difference between intolerances and allergiesFood intolerances are more common than food allergies. The symptoms of food intolerance tend to come on more slowly, often many hours after eating the problem food. Typical symptoms include bloating and stomach cramps.

A food allergy  is a rapid and potentially serious response to a food by your immune system. It can trigger classic allergy symptoms such as a rash, wheezing and itching.

Genuine food allergy is rare. About 2% of the population and 8% of children under the age of three are affected. (www.nhs.uk)

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Food intolerances

• Gluten (coeliac disease) – the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and some oats;

• Dairy (lactose) – the sugar found in all mammals’ milk, e.g. cow’s, goat’s and buffalo;

• Yeast – bread and cereal products containing yeast, fermented or ripe foods, vinegar and salad dressing.

(www.allergyuk.org)

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Food allergies

Most unpleasant reactions to food are not true food allergies.

A food allergy is one particular type of food intolerance that involves the body’s immune system. Food intolerances may cause uncomfortable symptoms, but only true allergies involve the immune system.

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Food allergies

The immune system is part of the body’s defence system, as it protects against foreign organisms like bacteria and viruses. In some people, they may also react to substances in foods, or in the environment, e.g. pollen or animal fur.

This response is known as an allergic reaction.

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Causes of allergic reactions

Most foods may cause an allergy, the symptoms of which can be uncomfortable but when severe can be fatal.

In the UK, the most common food allergies are to eggs, milk, fish, peanuts and tree nuts (such as walnuts, Brazil nuts and almonds). * In the UK, kiwi fruit allergy among children is becoming more common.*

There are up to 10 recognised deaths from food allergies in the UK every year. *

Source: http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/food-industry/about-food-allergy

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Symptoms

A food allergy usually occurs between a few minutes and a few hours after eating a particular food.

The symptoms of food allergies vary from person to person and can include:

• Coughing;• Dry, itchy throat and tongue;• Nausea and feeling bloated;• Wheezing and shortness of

breath;• Swelling of the lips and throat;• Runny or blocked nose;• Sore, red and itchy eyes.

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Preventing allergic reactionsPeople who have an allergic reaction to foods or ingredients must be particularly careful about what they eat and reading labels and menus carefully is especially important.

New rules that came into effect from December 2014 include the way allergen information appears on labels and on food that is pre-packed, sold loose or served in a restaurant, café or take-away.

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Major allergens

Fourteen major allergens have been identified and will be highlighted on the label within the ingredients list. They are: • Cereals containing gluten;• Crustaceans, e.g. prawns, crabs, lobster

and crayfish;•Eggs;• Fish;• Peanuts;• Soybeans;• Milk;

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Major allergens

• Nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio, cashew and macadamia nuts;

• Celery (and celeriac);• Mustard;• Sesame;• Sulphur dioxide which is a

preservative found in some dried fruit such as apricots;

• Lupin;• Molluscs, e.g. clams, mussels, whelks,

oysters, snails and squid.

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How will allergens be listed on a food label?The fourteen major allergens will be highlighted on the label within the ingredients list rather than in a separate box as has been done in the past.

The allergen could be identified in bold, highlighted, underlined or in italics.

The example below is for a basic Victoria sponge:

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Eggs, wheat flour, butter, sugar, vanilla essence, baking powder

Eating out

From December 2014, information on any of the 14 allergens used as ingredients will need to be provided for foods sold without packaging or wrapped on site, e.g. in delis, cafes and restaurants.

This information could be written down on a chalk board or chart, or provided orally by a member of staff.

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Unexpected allergens

Most severe allergic reactions are triggered by an ingredient that was intended to be in the product but the consumer did not read the label or menu carefully or had been misinformed by staff when eating out. Examples of this could be:

• Peanut flour used to thicken the sauce in a takeaway curry;

• Nuts present in a coronation chicken salad;

• Milk present in a minor ingredient in a pre-packed or catered food.

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Did you know?

People with allergies or preparing food at home need to be aware that:

• Peanuts are also known as groundnuts;• Satay sauce is made with peanuts;• Marzipan, praline, nougat and frangipane

are made with nuts;• Pesto sauce can be made with nuts, and

also contains milk;• Waldorf salad contains nuts;

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Did you know?

• Dishes containing sesame include tahini and hummus;

• Whey and casein are proteins in milk and therefore must be avoided by people with milk allergy;

• Caesar salad dressing normally contains anchovies;

• Worcestershire sauce is likely to contain anchovies.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Acknowledgement

For further information, go to: www.food4life.org.uk © LMC 2015