Simmons College
Dining Services and Nutrition Website
FOOD ALLERGIES
Food allergies are defined as reactions involving the body's immune system and are often confused with "food intolerances" which differ 
in that the immune system is not involved. The person with food intolerance may feel discomfort, indigestion and nauseated when consuming cetain foods which are a result of metabolic imbalance not due to allergies. True food allergies are noticeable because:
- a) contact with the allergen occurs, the offending molecule is virtually always a protein;
- b) immuoglobin E (Ig-E) is an antibody that reacts to this protein
- c) mast cells and basophils (blood cells) are activated prompting the cell's release of histamine and other substances that cause the allergic reactions
The immune sustem recognizes the allergen as an "invader" and attacks these symptom causing proteins.
The symptoms can range from mild tingling or skin irritation, to swelling of the mouth and throat, to asphyxiation and death. Some of the most common allergens are proteins found in Fish, Shellfish, Milk
, Eggs, Soy, Wheat, Peanuts, and other tree nuts(like walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts). A good food example is milk, because it often causes both intolerances and allergies. Milk contains proteins mainly casein and whey; these proteins have known allergenis effects in people who's immune system responds by attacking these proteins, often symtoms include, leaving the person short of breath with difficulty breathing, or breaking out in rash. A person with milk intolerance will react with indigestion from the consumption of the sugar in milk, known as lactose. It is important to note that allergies can develop within a persons' lifetime, one doesn't have to have them from birth.
Copyright © 2006
Copyright © 2006