These fact sheets provide comprehensive information about the most prevalent allergy triggers. From symptoms and diagnosis, through management strategies.
These new downloadable resources have been specifically created for Adult Day Care and Child Care Center program operators. These resources include posters, fast facts sheets (such as food allergy myths), topic sheets (such as stress and anxiety, epinephrine administration and diagnosis), checklists and tips.
Symptoms
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts overreactively to things that generally don’t bother most people – allergens – such as pollen, pet dander, foods or medicines that normally wouldn’t. They may include pollen, pet dander, foods or medications and can trigger symptoms including runny nose with itchy, watery eyes; rashes; asthma attacks or anaphylaxis which is a life-threatening reaction.
Some allergies are more serious than others. Anaphylaxis is the most serious form of allergic reaction and should be treated immediately with adrenaline through either injection or orally administration.
Avoiding things that trigger allergy symptoms is the key to successfully managing them. For instance, if you’re allergic to pollen, keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high; and for allergy-related asthma sufferers try minimizing indoor allergens like dust mites, mold or pet dander as these could irritate symptoms further.
Food allergies are most frequently seen among infants and young children, although they can affect people of any age. A reaction may range from mild skin rashes to anaphylaxis–an emergency condition requiring medical assistance immediately.
Most food allergies are caused by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies which detect eggs as being potentially dangerous. Unfortunately, IgE antibodies may cross-react, meaning someone allergic to peanuts could react adversely when exposed to related foods like shellfish and shrimp.
Diagnosis
Food allergies are usually diagnosed through symptoms and history analysis. Skin prick tests or blood tests measuring specific IgE antibodies against particular allergens (eg peanut) can also be helpful, though not conclusive. A doctor may also advise an oral food challenge, whereby small amounts of the suspect food are eaten under medical supervision until any reaction occurs.
Australian law mandates that all foods sold in Australia include labels that declare major allergens such as milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish and crustacean shellfish on them. This includes fresh, frozen and chilled meals as well as drinks with alcohol content such as honey, bee pollen royal jelly or propolis as ingredients.
Foods and ingredients known to cause nonallergic hypersensitivity reactions in sensitive individuals, such as gluten and certain additives, are monitored by the FDA and must bear specific labeling. Furthermore, more than 160 substances may cause allergic reactions but do not qualify as major allergens under law; examples include sulfites, natural chemicals (curcumin) and certain compounds such as salicylates.
Management
Food businesses are legally required to provide allergy information about the foods they sell, including retailers and catering services as well as manufacturers and institutional caterers (for more details please refer to food law technical guidance). Foods must contain one or more of 14 food allergens: celery, crustaceans (such as shrimp, crabs and lobsters), eggs, fish, milk, nuts lupin peanuts soya sesame seeds wheat sulphur dioxide and sulphites; our fact sheets designed specifically for food service operators in Arabic Simplified Chinese Vietnamese while child nutrition program operatorss; our fact sheets come complete with fact sheets tailored for child nutrition program operatorss (revised 2024). Our fact sheets cater towards food service operatorss while child nutrition program operatorss with dedicated fact sheets tailored specifically towards child nutrition program operatorss – our fact sheets for child nutrition program operatorss is updated every two years based on what data available from manufacturers/manufacturer/manufactur dioxide/sulphites etc.
These fact sheets are available both in PDF and Word formats and provide an overview of allergies, the top food allergens, and how best to manage them.
Prevention
Allergen Fact Sheets provide one-stop resources for information on symptoms, diagnosis and management of common allergy triggers. Topics covered include milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts tree nuts fish crustacean shellfish as well as nonfood triggers like dyes additives or pet dander.
Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 requires food manufacturers to label products containing eight major allergens; milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, fish, tree nuts and crustacean shellfish – to identify them on labels by common or usual names or specific species (for instance buttermilk or salmon). Incidental ingredients (additives or flavoring) must also be disclosed.
FDA also monitors food and ingredients that cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, and requires specific labeling of them. Examples include gluten, certain additives (for instance yellow 5, carmine and sulfites) as well as anything that has recently become the subject of scientific research on allergic reactions in vulnerable populations.
The Institute of Child Nutrition and FNS collaborated with food safety experts at the Food Allergen Research Laboratory to develop two sets of fact sheets for food allergy awareness and training, targeting Adult Day Care providers as well as child nutrition program operators who focus on nine major allergens.
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