Cereal allergy
A number of cereals have been reported to cause allergic reactions in sensitive children and adults. These include wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize (corn) and rice. Sometimes people can react to more than one type of cereal.
back to table Coconut allergy
Allergy to coconut is rare in the UK, but coconut can cause allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) in people who are sensitive. A small number of people who are allergic to nuts have reacted to coconut. It might also cause reactions in people who are allergic to latex.
back to table Coeliac disease
Gluten is the mixture of proteins found in some cereals, including wheat, rye and barley. Gluten intolerance, or coeliac disease, is a lifelong disease, which is caused by sensitivity to gluten. It can damage the lining of the small intestine, which stops the body from absorbing nutrients, causing diarrhoea and eventually malnutrition. Coeliac disease can sometimes run in families.
Until recently, coeliac disease was only thought to affect about one in 1500 people in the UK. Now we think it’s more common, and better tests for the condition have shown that it might affect as many as one in 300 people in the UK. In some areas of the world it seems to be more common, for example in parts of Ireland as many as one in 100 people may be affected. Coeliac disease is often diagnosed after weaning, when cereals are introduced into the diet, but it can also be diagnosed at a later age. Research suggests that waiting until a baby is about four to six months old before starting to give them wheat makes it less likely that they will develop coeliac disease. If it isn’t treated, coeliac disease can lead to anaemia, bone disease and, on rare occasions, certain forms of cancer. It can also cause growth problems in children. People with some medical conditions might be more likely to develop coeliac disease, for example Type 1 diabetes, thyroid problems, ulcerative colitis and certain neurological disorders, such as epilepsy. There is no cure for coeliac disease. The only way to avoid the symptoms is not to eat foods containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, barley, malt, malt extract, malt flavouring, beer and lager. Processed food can often contain hidden gluten, but a large number of gluten-free products, such as bread, cakes and pasta are now available.
back to table Egg allergy
Like most food allergies, egg allergy is more common in childhood and about half the children who have it will grow out of it by the age of three. In a few cases, egg allergy can cause anaphylaxis. Egg allergy is mainly caused by three proteins in the egg white called ovomucoid, ovalbumin and conalbumin. Cooking can destroy some of these allergens, but not others. So some people might react to cooked eggs, as well as raw eggs. Occasionally someone might react to egg because they have an allergy to chicken, quail or turkey meat, or to bird feathers. This is called bird-egg syndrome.
back to table Fish allergy
Fish allergy can often cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. Adults are more likely to have an allergic reaction to fish and shellfish than children, which is probably because adults will have eaten these foods more often. People who are allergic to one type of fish, such as cod, often react to other types of fish such as hake, haddock, mackerel and whiting as well. This is because the allergens in these fish are quite similar. Cooking doesn’t destroy fish allergens. In fact, some people with fish allergy can be allergic to cooked but not raw fish.
back to table Fruit and vegetable allergy
Allergic reactions to fruits and vegetables are usually mild and often they just affect the mouth, causing itching or a rash where the food touches the lips and mouth. This is called oral allergy syndrome. A number of people who react in this way to fruit or vegetables will also react to tree and weed pollens. So, for example, people who are allergic to birch pollen are also likely to be allergic to apples. Cooking can destroy a number of the allergens in fruits and vegetables, so cooked fruit often won’t cause a reaction in people with an allergy to fruit. Pasteurised fruit juice might not cause an allergic reaction either, for the same reason. However, the allergens in some vegetables, such as celery, aren’t affected by cooking. Some fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, are more likely to cause a reaction as they get riper.
back to table Gluten intolerance
Gluten is the mixture of proteins found in some cereals, including wheat, rye and barley. Gluten intolerance, or coeliac disease, is a lifelong disease, which is caused by sensitivity to gluten. It can damage the lining of the small intestine, which stops the body from absorbing nutrients, causing diarrhoea and eventually malnutrition. Coeliac disease can sometimes run in families, but we don’t know exactly what causes it. Until recently, coeliac disease was only thought to affect about one in 1500 people in the UK. Now we think it’s more common, and better tests for the condition have shown that it might affect as many as one in 300 people in the UK. In some areas of the world it seems to be more common, for example in parts of Ireland as many as one in 100 people may be affected. Coeliac disease is often diagnosed after weaning, when cereals are introduced into the diet, but it can also be diagnosed at a later age. Research suggests that waiting until a baby is about four to six months old before starting to give them wheat makes it less likely that they will develop coeliac disease. If it isn’t treated, coeliac disease can lead to anaemia, bone disease and, on rare occasions, certain forms of cancer. It can also cause growth problems in children. People with some medical conditions might be more likely to develop coeliac disease, for example Type 1 diabetes, thyroid problems, ulcerative colitis and certain neurological disorders, such as epilepsy. There is no cure for coeliac disease. The only way to avoid the symptoms is not to eat foods containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, barley, malt, malt extract, malt flavouring, beer and lager. Processed food can often contain hidden gluten, but a large number of gluten-free products, such as bread, cakes and pasta are now available. Coeliac UK, a charity to support people with gluten intolerance, works with manufacturers to produce a regularly updated list of foods that don’t contain gluten.
back to table Lactose intolerance
Lactose is a sugar found naturally in milk. It’s important to distinguish between lactose intolerance and milk allergy, because milk allergy can cause severe reactions. Lactose intolerance is caused by a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. When someone doesn’t have enough of this enzyme, lactose isn’t absorbed properly from the gut, which can cause symptoms such as bloating and diarrhoea. Lactose intolerance can be caused by a number of things. In humans, the body produces less lactase after the age of two. However, in white Western Europeans, lactase can be produced into adult life, which allows lactose to be broken down properly. Because of this, lactose intolerance is more common in certain ethnic and racial populations than in others. In the UK, about 5% of the general population have lactose intolerance. In communities where milk is not traditionally part of the typical adult diet, a much bigger proportion of people are affected. For example, up to 75% of the black African community and more than 90% of the Asian community are intolerant to lactose. Digestive diseases, or injuries to the small intestine can sometimes cause lactose intolerance, because they reduce the amount of lactase produced. In rare cases, the condition can be inherited. Milk from mammals including cows, goats, sheep and humans contain lactose. This means that goats’ milk and sheep milk aren’t suitable alternatives to cows’ milk for people who are intolerant to lactose. There is no medical treatment for lactose intolerance, but symptoms can be avoided by controlling the amount of lactose in the diet. Adults with lactose intolerance can often have a small amount of milk without getting any symptoms.
back to table Latex-food syndrome
Latex allergy is caused by a reaction to a number of allergens found in natural rubber or latex. In recent years, the number of people with latex allergy has increased, particularly among healthcare workers and people with spina bifida, because they come into contact with lots of latex products. Latex contains lots of allergens that are similar to the allergens in some foods. So people who are allergic to latex might also find they react to foods such as banana, mango, kiwi, chestnut, paprika, celery, apple, carrot, cherry, coconut, strawberry and avocado. This is called latex-food syndrome.
back to table Lupin allergy
Lupins are common garden plants, which are related to legumes such as peas, lentils and beans. Many types of lupin seed are poisonous, because they contain bitter-tasting toxins. But sweet lupins don’t contain these toxins and they can be eaten by humans or livestock. Sweet lupin seeds are being used more and more to replace cereal grain in many food products, for example flour and pasta. Allergy to lupin has been recognised for some time in mainland Europe, where lupin flour is used widely in food products. This type of allergy only seems to have started emerging in the UK quite recently. Lupin allergy can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, but there have been very few confirmed reports of lupin allergy in the UK so far. The Anaphylaxis Campaign in the UK has advised people with peanut allergy to avoid lupin. It’s mainly used in flour-based products such as pastry.
back to table Maize allergy
Maize (or corn) allergy isn’t common in the UK, although there have been reported cases. For people who are sensitive to maize, avoiding it can be very difficult, because maize is commonly used in a wide variety of food products.
back to table Meat allergy
People with a meat allergy might react to beef, mutton, pork or chicken. Sometimes people who are allergic to one type of meat or poultry might also react to other types. Cooking destroys some of the allergens in meat, but some people will still react to cooked meat. Processed meats, such as frankfurters, luncheon meats and pâtés, sometimes contain other ingredients, particularly milk products, as emulsifiers or flavour enhancers. So it’s possible for someone who is allergic to milk to react to a meat product because it contains milk. For example, milk is sometimes used in chicken nuggets to stick the breadcrumbs to the chicken pieces.
back to table Milk allergy
Allergy to cows’ milk is the most common food allergy in childhood, and affects 2-7% of babies under one year old. It’s more common in babies with atopic dermatitis. A reaction can be triggered by small amounts of milk, either passed to the baby through the mother’s breast milk from dairy products she has eaten, or from feeding cows’ milk to the baby. Children usually grow out of milk allergy by the age of three, but about a fifth of children who have an allergy to cows’ milk will still be allergic to it as adults. The symptoms of milk allergy are often mild and can affect any part of the body. They can include rashes, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps and difficulty in breathing. In a very few cases, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis. Cows’ milk allergy is caused by a reaction to a number of allergens in cows’ milk, such as casein and whey. Milk from other mammals (such as goats and sheep), and hydrolysed milk and soya formulas, are sometimes used as a substitute for babies who are at risk of developing cows’ milk allergy. However, the allergens in milk from goats and sheep are very similar to those in cows’ milk. This means that someone with a cows’ milk allergy might react to these other types of milk as well, so goat’s and sheep milk aren’t suitable alternatives for people who are sensitive to cows’ milk.
back to table Milk protein intolerance
Intolerance to cows’ milk protein is a type of intolerance that is common in babies and children, and symptoms start from the time when cows’ milk is first introduced into the diet. There is no cure for it and the only way to stop the symptoms is to avoid cows’ milk products. Cows’ milk protein intolerance is different to lactose intolerance and milk allergy.
back to table b>Nut allergy
Allergy to nuts from trees is usually lifelong. The nuts that are most likely to cause allergic reactions are walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts and cashew nuts. On rare occasions, all these nuts can cause anaphylaxis in people who are sensitive. Sometimes people with an allergy to one type of nut will also react to other nuts. So if you have a nut allergy, you need to be very careful to avoid nuts and unrefined (crude) nut oil. Strictly speaking, peanuts are legumes, not nuts, and they grow underground rather than on trees.
back to table Peanut allergy
Allergy to peanuts (also known as groundnuts and monkey nuts) is often lifelong, but research suggests that, in a very few cases, young children diagnosed with peanut allergy may grow out of it. Peanuts are one of the most common causes of food allergy and can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. They contain a number of allergens that are not destroyed by cooking or roasting. Peanut allergy can be so severe that very tiny amounts can cause a reaction. Because of this, coming into contact with traces of peanut can be enough to cause a reaction in people who are sensitive. For example, someone might come into contact with traces of peanuts from unrefined oils, or when food is served using utensils that have been used with food containing peanuts, or even being close to someone eating peanuts. Refined peanut oil is thought to be safe for people with peanut allergy, because the proteins that cause allergic reactions are removed during the manufacturing process. However, cold-pressed, or unrefined/unprocessed (crude) peanut oil can contain small amounts of peanut allergens, which can cause a reaction in people who are sensitive.
back to table Pine nut allergy
Pine nuts can cause severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are sensitive. People who are allergic to pine nuts might also react to peanuts and nuts such as almonds.
back to table Quorn allergy
Quorn is a type of protein, which is made from a fungus. It has been available in the UK since 1985, and is often used as a meat substitute. There have been some reports of intolerance to Quorn, but this is not surprising, because it has a high protein content (allergens are usually proteins). Intolerance to Quorn is much less frequent than to other foods such as soya and dairy products. As Quorn is made from a fungus, some people who react to other fungi or moulds (including by inhalation) may also react to Quorn.
back to table Rice allergy
Rice allergy is common in countries in Eastern Asia, such as Japan, where rice is commonly eaten, but it isn’t common in the UK. People who are allergic to rice can react when they eat it or when they inhale its pollen. Rice can cause hayfever symptoms in areas where it’s grown commercially. People who are allergic to rice can sometimes react to a number of other foods from the same botanical family, such as barley, maize, wheat, oats and rye, as well as other foods such as peach and apple.
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