The Many Benefits Of Allergy Free Foods
Posted on May 19th, 2010
People who suffer from food allergies know how important it is to avoid the allergens that they are sensitive to. Allergic reactions can happen quickly, and they can be life-threatening. Allergens in food sometimes occur in products where one least expects to find them. The benefits of allergy free foods include knowing exactly what is in the foods you consume.
Estimates are that around 2 percent of adults and from 4 to 8 percent of babies and children are sensitive to one or more food allergens. In recent years it seems that these numbers are increasing for young people. Visits to emergency rooms for severe food allergic reactions number around 30,000 each year for Americans. From these figures, it seems obvious that the more closely one can control the quality of one’s food with regards to allergens, the better.
Allergic reactions to food usually occur within a few minutes to an hour of the food being ingested. Symptoms can be as mild as an itchy mouth or as severe as anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal if untreated. There is no cure for food allergies, though children often do outgrow them, as adults also do sometimes.
Only eight substances are the cause of approximately 90 percent of allergic reactions. Included are tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, fish, milk, wheat, egg and soy. It is usually easy to avoid consumption of some of these, such as fish, and also shellfish. But, when an allergen is used as an ingredient in other foods, it may be harder to detect. Soy, milk, egg and wheat are commonly incorporated into various food products. Items such as Asian sauces and different candies may contain peanuts, which are very dangerous for some people.
In a major step towards protecting consumers, in 2004 the United States passed a law requiring food manufacturers to include allergen information on their product labels, with regard to the eight most common substances. While this was a significant measure, it did not extend to requiring statements by manufacturers regarding the possibility of cross-contamination caused by processing different products on the same equipment.
While some food manufacturers do include such cross-contact information on their labels, there may still be risk associated with buying foods produced for the general population. Sometimes only a minute amount of a food allergen is needed for someone to have a severe reaction to it. Foods produced specifically for food allergy sufferers have a greater probability of being safe to consume.
Closing Comments
When in doubt about the safety of a particular food with regard to allergens, one can contact the manufacturer with questions concerning ingredients or cross-contamination. Foods produced by companies focused on allergen-free products may provide a higher degree of assurance that their foods are safe. One of the benefits of allergy free foods is, along with physical safety, greater peace of mind in knowing that you and your family are at lower risk for food allergic reactions.
Learn more about gluten-free breads and gluten-free diets for autism.
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