Diary 74- Food Allergies

Food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system identifies specific food item as “foreign” and produces antibodies, called immunoglobulin E (lgE), which attacks the food item. The chemicals released in the process cause unpleasant side effects.

Any food can cause an allergic reaction.

The common allergy-provoking food in children includes cow’s milk protein, egg, soya bean, wheat, peanuts and fish.

For adults, the common allergy-provoking food includes nuts, mushrooms and seafood such as fish, prawn, crab, shrimp, clam and squid.

Food allergies may be related to addictives and preservatives including monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium benzoate, sulphites and tartrazine.

Among the symptoms of food allergies are itching in the mouth, swelling of the mouth or throat, body rashes, wheezing, nausea, diarhoea, vomiting and anaphylaxis (an extreme allergic reaction.

You should now know what to do to avoid food allergies.