food allergies

food allergies


 Allergies to food What you should know

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Each year millions of Americans have allergic reactions to food. Although most allergies cause relatively mild symptoms and little serious, some food allergies can generate serious reactions and even life-threatening.

There is no cure for food allergies. Strictly avoid food allergens, in addition to early recognition and control of allergic reactions to these are important measures to prevent serious consequences to health.
Image, young, child, grab, peanuts.The function of the FDA: Labeling

To help Americans avoid the risks posed by food allergens, the FDA enforces the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, 2004 (FALCPA). The law covers foods regulated by the FDA, and includes all foods-except poultry, most red meats, certain egg products, and most alcoholic beverages, which are regulated by other federal agencies. The law requires that food labels clearly identify the names of food sources of all the ingredients that are - or contain - some protein derived from the eight most common food allergens, which the FALCPA law defines as "major allergens". food. "

As a result, food labels help allergic consumers identify dangerous foods or ingredients so they can avoid them more easily.
Which ones with the main food allergens?

Although there are more than 160 foods that can cause allergic reactions to people with food allergies, the law identifies the eight most common food allergens. These account for 90 percent of allergic reactions and are the source from which many other ingredients are derived.

The eight foods identified by law are:

    Milk
    Eggs
    Fish (for example, perch, sole, cod)
    Crustaceans (eg, crabs, lobsters, shrimp)
    Nuts (for example, almonds, walnuts, pecans)
    Peanuts
    Wheat
    Soy

These eight foods and any ingredient that contains proteins derived from one or more of them, are designated in the FALCPA law as the "main food allergens".
Image, woman, look, nutrition, fact, label, ingredients, list. How should the main food allergens be detailed

The law requires that food labels identify the names of food sources of all major food allergens that were used to manufacture the product. This requirement is met if the common name of an ingredient (for example, whey), which is one of the main food allergens, identifies the name of the source of the allergen (for example, milk). Otherwise, the name of the food source must be indicated at least once on the food label in one of the following two ways.
The name of the food source of a major food allergen should appear:

    In parentheses, after the name of the ingredient
    Examples: "lecithin (soy)," "flour (wheat)," and whey (milk) "
Immediately after or next to the list of ingredients in a
    statement that says "contains"
    Example: "Contains wheat, milk and soy".

Serious allergies to food can be a life-threatening risk

After ingesting a food allergen, a person with allergies can experience a severe life-threatening allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis.

This can lead to:

    the constriction of the airways in the lungs;
    severe decrease in blood pressure and shock ("anaphylactic shock");
    suffocation due to inflammation of the throat.

It is estimated that each year in the US, anaphylaxis caused by food causes:

    30,000 visits to the Emergency Room;
    2,000 hospitalizations;
    150 deaths.

Timely administration of epinephrine with an autoinjector (eg, Epi-pen) when the first symptoms appear may help to avoid these serious consequences.
Mild symptoms may be aggravated

The initially mild symptoms that occur after ingesting a food allergen are not always an indication of lesser severity. In fact, if not treated quickly, these symptoms can become more severe in a short time and can cause anaphylaxis. See The raw reality on the left.
How to recognize the symptoms

Image of woman with sore throat in the park. Symptoms of food allergies usually appear within a few minutes or within two hours after a person has eaten foods to which they are allergic.

Among the allergic reactions are the following:

    Urticaria
    Red skin or rash
    Tingling or itching sensation in the mouth
    Inflammation of the face, tongue or lips
    Vomiting or diarrhea
    Abdominal cramps
    Cough or wheezing when breathing
    Dizziness or lightheadedness
    Inflammation of the throat and vocal cords
    Difficulty breathing
    Loss of consciousness

Information about other allergens

In addition, people may be allergic and have severe reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by law. Therefore, be sure to carefully read the ingredient list on the food label to avoid the allergens that affect you.
Image of an ambulance outside the entrance of the ambulance. What should be done if symptoms appear?The onset of symptoms (see How to recognize symptoms, right), after eating can be a sign of a food allergy. Foods that cause these symptoms should be avoided and the affected person should contact a doctor or health care provider to undergo the corresponding tests and evaluation.

    If it is determined that a person is allergic to food, they should be taught to read labels and avoid dangerous foods. Also, in case of accidental intake, you must be taught to recognize early the symptoms of an allergic reaction, have adequate knowledge and have the appropriate treatment measures.
    People who know they have an allergy to some food and who begin to experience symptoms during or after eating food, should start treatment immediately and, if the symptoms increase, go to a nearby Emergency Room.

Labeling of "information" of food allergens

The labeling requirements of the FALCPA law do not apply to the potential or unintended presence of major food allergens that occur due to "cross-contact" situations during manufacture, for example, due to equipment or processing lines shared. In the context of food allergens, "cross-contact" occurs when a residue or residue of a food allergen is incorporated into another food that was not intended to contain it. FDA's guidance to the food industry states that food allergen information statements, such as "may contain [allergen]" or "produced in an establishment that also uses [allergen]," should not be Use as a substitute to comply with current good manufacturing practices and must be truthful and not misleading. The FDA is evaluating ways to better control the use of these types of statements made by manufacturers to be able to inform consumers more clearly.
How to report adverse effects and concerns in labeling

If you think you or a family member has an injury or illness that you think is related to having eaten a food inparticular, including people with food allergies and those with celiac disease, contactyour health care provider immediately. Also, report to the FDA the disease allegedly transmitted by thefood by any of these means: people can report a problem with a food or its label,como el potencial uso indebido de afirmaciones de “sin gluten”, a la FDA en cualquiera de estas formas