A food allergy is when the body’s immune system reacts unusually to specific foods. Although allergic reactions are often mild, they can be very serious.
What causes food allergies?
Food allergies happen when the immune system – the body’s defence against infection – mistakenly treats proteins found in food as a threat.
As a result, a number of chemicals are released. It’s these chemicals that cause the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Almost any food can cause an allergic reaction, but there are certain foods that are responsible for most food allergies.
In children, the foods that most commonly cause an allergic reaction are:
- milk
- eggs
- peanuts
- tree nuts
- fish
- shellfish
Most children that have a food allergy will have experienced eczema during infancy. The worse the child’s eczema and the earlier it started, the more likely they are to have a food allergy.
In adults, the foods that most commonly cause an allergic reaction are:
- peanuts
- tree nuts – such as walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds and hazelnuts
- fruits – such as apples and peaches
- fish
- shellfish – such as crab, lobster and prawns
If you want to know more, why not book on to one of our training courses. At Ajuda we provide Food Safety Level 2 and Level 3 Food Allergens.
Find out more here or give us a call on 02920 576883