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Can you get food allergies as an adult?
Can you get food allergies as an adult? In short, yes. Up to 5% of adults suffer from food allergy, and approximately 15% of them developed the allergy in adulthood (1). What is food allergy? Food allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to an ingested food. The most common types of allergens are cow’s milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, shellfish and lupin (2). You can read more about food allergy, intolerance and preference in this article. Common food allergies in adults The foods most likely to cause allergic reactions in adults are seafood, peanuts, tree nuts (1, 2) and sesame seeds (2). The…
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Food allergy, intolerance and preference
Do you know what is the difference between a food allergy, a food intolerance and a food preference? Why would you care? Well, if you work in an industry that involves serving or selling food to people (food manufacturer, restaurant, cafe, pub, bar, hospital, aged care facility, school, airline, catering company, hotel, bed & breakfast, food truck, etc.), you should. Food Allergy Allergy is an immune reaction to substances (allergens), which are usually harmless. The immune system reacts by producing antibodies. The most common triggers are proteins in the following foods: Peanut Tree nuts Milk Eggs Sesame Fish Shellfish Soy Wheat Lupin Allergic reactions can include hives, swelling of lips/eyes/face,…