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Food Allergies

Around 5% of the population have some kind of food allergy. This varies with age, as does the allergen containing food; for example the most common food allergies in babies are eggs and milk yet very few adults are allergic to either.

The severity and sensitivity of these food allergies varies greatly between people. In those who are described as “exquisitely sensitive” only the tiniest amount of the food is sufficient to provoke a reaction. In one case a boy was given a kiss on the cheek by his aunt shortly after she had finished a packet of peanuts. Within minutes the boys face had begun to swell up in an allergic reaction.

Whilst this level of sensitivity is unusual, severe reactions are not. Most people will only experience a mild, local reaction to a food such as tingling and swelling of the lips. However, for a significant minority these reactions can be life-threatening causing anaphylaxis.

Most Common Food Allergies

In theory any food can cause an allergic reaction, yet it is only eight that are responsible for around 90 percent of food related allergic reactions – the so-called “Big 8“. These are:

Egg allergy
Egg Allergy

fish allergy
Fish Allergy

milk allergy
Milk Allergy

peanut allergy
Peanut Allergy

shellfish allergy
Shellfish Allergy

soya / soy allergy
Soy Allergy

tree nu allergy
Tree Nut Allergy

wheat allergy
Wheat Allergy

fruit and vegetable allergy
Fruit & Veg Allergy

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The information provided on this website is well researched and we believe it to be accurate at the time of writing. However, it should be regarded as for educational purposes only and not as medical fact. If you do have any medical concerns or symptoms we do not recommend you use this website as a substitute for visiting an allergist, licensed physician or doctor.

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