Food allergies have forced Robert Kennedy Jr.’s six-year-old son, Conor, into the emergency room 31 times and have hospitalized him nine times.  Conor is among the seven million Americans who suffer with food allergies each year.

      These allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to certain proteins in food.  Although more than 200 foods can provoke allergic reactions, most reactions are triggered by nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soybeans, and wheat.

      The most common symptoms include nausea, hives, skin rash, nasal congestion and wheezing.  Food allergies also trigger more severe reactions, such as anaphylactic shock, where the throat swells until breathing is shut off.  150 people die each year following anaphylactic shock.

      According to a new study of 32 people who died following fatal anaphylactic shock, a clear pattern exists.  30 of the 32 reactions were caused by nuts and peanuts; most were teenagers and young adults, who had asthma and were aware they suffered from food allergies; 84% had eaten the foods away from home; and only three carried emergency self-injectable epinephrine.

      Avoiding allergens is more difficult than simply not eating the food itself; as some allergens are hidden in “natural flavors,” while others end up in foods by mistake.  A recent study showed 25% of food processing plants checked by government inspectors were producing foods that contained allergens not listed in labels.

      Allergens often show up where least expected.  Restauraunts may not be aware of ingredients that were added to broths, sauces, breading, and other prepared foods they cook with; foods can e contaminated with allergens, and labels don’t have to disclose allergens contained in flavors.

      Trace amounts can also trigger a reaction.  A 14-year-old, allergic to peanuts, died after eating a sandwich during a camping trip.  The knife had been used earlier to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

SOURCE: Nutrition Action Healthletter, April 2001, pp. 10-13.

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