Food allergies can produce a wide range of symptoms that often appear quickly after indulging in an offending food item, from mild to severe, such as itchy hives to difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis (decrease in blood pressure).
At some point, most children outgrow their reactions to milk and eggs; however, peanut, tree nut and fish allergies may persist throughout life. Therefore, strict avoidance of offending foods as well as education regarding reading food labels and avoiding cross-contamination are crucial elements in successfully managing food allergies.
Milk
Milk can be an allergenic food for those allergic to any of its proteins, ranging from mild symptoms (itchy skin or swelling around mouth and lips) to more serious effects such as trouble breathing or loss of consciousness. Milk allergies differ from lactose intolerance.
Your doctor will conduct a health history and physical exam in order to diagnose milk allergy. They may order skin prick testing, blood testing or the component test that tests for allergies to two specific proteins from milk: casein and whey.
Your allergist may suggest OIT (Oral Immunotherapy), which involves slowly increasing doses of milk protein over time to build tolerance and possibly prevent or lessen an adverse reaction. While OIT is effective in some people who are at a high risk for severe or life-threatening milk allergies, allergists will usually only prescribe this treatment option if additional methods fail. They may also provide emergency epinephrine to treat severe reactions – and will train you on how best to use it.
Eggs
Egg allergy occurs when an immune system becomes sensitized to proteins found in egg whites and yolks, and overreacts in response. The reaction can range from hives and skin rash to stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. Some individuals can even have severe, life-threatening anaphylaxis reactions; symptoms typically appear within minutes to hours after coming in contact with products containing eggs or eating or coming into contact with eggs containing products containing eggs.
An egg allergy test typically entails either a blood test or food challenge administered by a medical provider. With regard to food challenges, your physician will give small quantities of egg while monitoring for signs of reaction in you or your child. Most children typically outgrow their allergy by age 16; however, for some this may not happen and they must continue avoiding egg as adults.
Manufacturers are now required to label foods that contain eggs, making it easier for people with egg allergies to find safe food options. In addition, vaccinations such as influenza and Measles, Mumps and Rubella contain small amounts of egg protein; so people with an egg allergy should consult their doctors prior to receiving such vaccines and carry an emergency epinephrine dose with them at all times, in case an anaphylactic reaction arises during vaccination or otherwise. Additionally, ensure your school or daycare facility knows about your allergy so emergency medication can be administered if necessary in case an an anaphylactic reaction occurs during vaccination or otherwise.
Peanuts
Peanuts are legumes that can act as food allergens, especially for young children. A severe peanut allergy can result in anaphylaxis – a whole-body reaction which includes difficulty breathing, swelling of lips or throat, drop in blood pressure, dizziness and fainting; an anaphylactic episode should always be treated as medical emergency by using an auto-injector such as EpiPen or ALLERJECT for immediate administration of Epinephrine auto-injector.
Ara h 1 (also known as 2S albumin), Ara h 2, and Ara h 6 are three major peanut allergens, all belonging to the cupin superfamily of proteins with similar primary structures and glycosylation patterns that stimulate dendritic cells to act as sentinel molecules within our immune systems. DC recognize these structures and trigger dendritic cell activation; in turn this causes dendritic cells (DC) to produce cytokines which trigger allergic responses in individuals susceptible.
Foods containing even trace amounts of peanuts must be clearly labeled due to potential cross-contamination between processed products containing peanuts and those without, which means cross-contamination may take place during production. Look out for labels reading “may contain traces of peanuts” or “made in a facility that processes nuts.” Additionally, those allergic to peanuts should always carry an epinephrine auto-injector in case an allergic reaction should occur.
Tree Nuts
Allergies to tree nuts may include almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts (pignolias) and pistachios. Peanuts are considered legumes rather than tree nuts, although those allergic to peanuts may also experience reactions against other tree nuts.
As with peanuts, tree nut proteins may cause an allergic reaction in some individuals. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and affect multiple systems within the body such as breathing, skin or digestive tract – in severe cases called anaphylaxis requiring medical emergency attention immediately.
Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 mandates that packaged food sold in the US must provide information regarding any tree nuts contained. Unfortunately, many restaurants and social gatherings don’t disclose this information in their menus, so it is vital that people read labels carefully when purchasing foods containing nuts as well as asking about ingredients even for items without nuts in them. You could also consult an allergist regarding an injection called Omalizumab (Xolair), which makes serious reactions less likely by desensitizing the immune system to nut proteins present.
Fish
Fish is an integral component of modern diet, but it may also pose as an allergen. Parvalbumin protein is one such fish allergen, often leading to symptoms in people allergic to cod, salmon, tuna or both species of these seafoods. Other fish allergens include 50kDa-enolase 40kDa-aldolase collagen 50kDa-enolase also from carp as well as Pan h 2 and 3 proteins found in catfish as strong allergens for some patients with fish-allergic patients.
Cross-reactivity between fish species is well documented, with many fish-allergic patients showing allergic responses to multiple species [64]. This reflects their shared amino acid sequences that allow calcium binding through an EF-hand domain structure [65,66].
Individuals with confirmed seafood allergies should avoid all forms of fish, such as canned tuna, sardines, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, herring oysters and clams. Furthermore, people should also watch out for caviar and roe (unfertilized eggs from fish), surimi (imitation crab and lobster meat made from fish) sushi as well as any restaurants which serve food containing seafood; an adrenaline injector should always be carried for emergencies.
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