Allergen fact sheets provide clinicians with easy-to-read information about food allergens that cause severe and life-threatening allergic reactions, supporting Canada’s labelling requirements and meeting regulatory compliance.
Displaying a food allergy chart will enable your staff to easily recognize which dishes contain major allergens (milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans). Review them periodically as recipes change or new suppliers become available.
Food Allergens
Food allergies occur when your immune system misidentifies certain proteins found in food as threats and produces an allergic response in response. To protect yourself from further illness and possible life-threatening reactions, strict avoidance is crucial; reading ingredient labels carefully is also key as many products contain multiple allergens; additionally it’s a good idea to look out for potential substitutes (like egg white substitutes such as whey) containing allergenic proteins that could potentially still pose risks.
Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts and almonds), soy, wheat, fish crustaceans shellfish sesame are among the most frequently mentioned allergenic foods; their impact depends on family history as well as whether a child outgrows some food allergies like those to cow’s milk peanuts and soy.
To determine food allergies, doctors may conduct either a skin test or oral food challenge. With the former method, your physician applies small amounts of the suspected allergen under your skin and monitors for reactions; with oral food challenges, they give measured doses under the tongue or into the stomach and watch to see if an adverse reaction develops. It is best done at an experienced allergist’s office or food challenge center with emergency medications nearby.
Food Irritants
Attaining medical diagnosis and strictly avoiding food allergens are the two best ways to effectively manage food allergies. Allergens can be found in many foods, from processed (such as bread and cereal) to condiments, sauces and candies (for instance egg substitutes may contain egg white proteins). Some foods are labeled to indicate their presence; under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, most packaged goods must list major allergens such as milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish peanuts tree nuts wheat soy accompanied by a “contains” statement.
To help diagnose food allergies, clinicians typically advise keeping a food diary for several weeks or longer, documenting all consumed items, how and when they were eaten as well as any symptoms experienced. Food challenges may be used as confirmation, though such testing should always take place under medical supervision in an environment equipped with emergency medication available immediately in case an adverse reaction should arise.
Indoor Allergens
Indoor allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, mold spores and cockroaches pose a significant public health concern in the US, leading to frequent doctor visits, hospitalizations, school absences and use of allergy medicines as symptoms manifest themselves.
House dust mites are one of the primary sources of residential allergens, producing purified proteins known as allergens such as Der p 6, Der p 8 and Bla g 5. Many of these allergens have been shown to cause clinically relevant cross-reactivity with proteins from crustaceans (Cl d 8), insects (Bla g 2) and mollusks (Der p 10).
Mold is another common household allergen. While pollen allergies tend to only manifest seasonally, mold spores can trigger year-round reactions in the form of sinusitis, itchy eyes or skin, asthma attacks and more.
Cat dander is an extremely common household allergen, produced by feline glands in their skin and shed in skin flakes and dander from cats. FAD may trigger symptoms of allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal congestion in people allergic to cats; or interact with proteins present in saliva and urine to cause digestive upset such as diarrhea.
Outdoor Allergens
Allergies to outdoor allergens often manifest as hay fever, with symptoms including nose, mouth, throat, eyes and ears affected. Mold spores and pollen from trees, grasses, weeds or ragweed pollen contribute to this complication and their presence can only be identified during certain times of the year.
Spring allergies tend to be triggered by tree pollen released by oak and maple trees in early spring, as well as other triggers like grass pollen (usually at its highest level in late spring and summer) or ragweed in fall.
Airflow from dry winds exacerbates allergy symptoms by carrying pollen far and wide in the air, and spreading mold spores through their wings.
Antihistamines and decongestants may provide temporary symptom relief. Your doctor may recommend immunotherapy injections of small doses of allergens that cause your reactions, in order for your body to adjust over time and reduce symptoms gradually.
If you want to avoid outdoor allergens, keep up-to-date on local news for daily pollen counts and schedule activities during times when pollen levels are lower. Avoid running your lawn mower or gardening, and stay inside when breezy weather hits. If allergic reactions arise when outdoors allergens come into contact, visit Allergy & Asthma Specialists of North Florida in order to learn how to best manage them.
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