Having a food allergy brings with it the knowledge of how critical it is to avoid the food or foods that one has an allergic reaction to. In just a matter of minutes after consuming a food allergen, a life-endangering reaction can take place. Allergens in foodstuffs are not always obvious, and therefore not always easy to avoid. Enjoying the benefits of allergy free foods means knowing for certain that there will be no surprises in the foods you eat.
Approximately 2 percent of adults and between 4 and 8 percent of children have allergic reactions to one or more foods. In the last decade there seems to have been an increase in the numbers of younger people with allergies. Each year, around thirty thousand Americans have food allergy responses acute enough to go to an emergency room. All this points to the fact that it is critical to control your food intake with regard to the substance or substances that produce the allergy.
An allergic reaction to food will usually take place within an hour of eating it, and sometimes in only minutes. An itching in the mouth or elsewhere is one of the milder symptoms, but reactions can be very serious, as in anaphylactic shock, and even fatal if not treated soon enough. Unfortunately, while some food allergies can be outgrown, there is no way to cure them.
Approximately 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by eight foods. These are fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, egg, milk, tree nuts and peanuts. Obviously, one can fairly easily avoid some of them, such as shellfish or fish. Others, however, being included as ingredients in other products, are less obvious. Wheat, egg, milk and soy are used widely in many different products. Even foods such as chocolate candy and Asian condiments may include peanuts, a major allergen for many.
An important United States law was passed in 2004, known as FALCPA. This act required food companies to clearly state on their labels if the product includes any of the 8 major allergy-causing substances. However, the law did not require the manufacturers to include information regarding possible cross-contamination of foods processed by equipment used for several different types of foods, perhaps including known allergens.
Cross-contact statements are being including by some manufacturers on their labels voluntarily, but there is still the potential for allergic problems to be incurred when buying food items manufactured for the general population of consumers. It may take only a very small amount of an allergen to cause serious problems for someone sensitive to it. Foods processed specifically with the needs of the food allergy sufferer in mind will have far less probability of containing unwanted allergens.
Obviously one may, if in doubt about a particular food item, contact the manufacturing company about ingredients included, or the possibility of cross-contamination with allergens. There is, however, a much higher comfort level knowing that a company manufactures foods specifically for those with food allergies. Among the benefits of allergy free foods is the greater degree of safety one can reasonably expect from foods processed this way.
Approximately 2 percent of adults and between 4 and 8 percent of children have allergic reactions to one or more foods. In the last decade there seems to have been an increase in the numbers of younger people with allergies. Each year, around thirty thousand Americans have food allergy responses acute enough to go to an emergency room. All this points to the fact that it is critical to control your food intake with regard to the substance or substances that produce the allergy.
An allergic reaction to food will usually take place within an hour of eating it, and sometimes in only minutes. An itching in the mouth or elsewhere is one of the milder symptoms, but reactions can be very serious, as in anaphylactic shock, and even fatal if not treated soon enough. Unfortunately, while some food allergies can be outgrown, there is no way to cure them.
Approximately 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by eight foods. These are fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, egg, milk, tree nuts and peanuts. Obviously, one can fairly easily avoid some of them, such as shellfish or fish. Others, however, being included as ingredients in other products, are less obvious. Wheat, egg, milk and soy are used widely in many different products. Even foods such as chocolate candy and Asian condiments may include peanuts, a major allergen for many.
An important United States law was passed in 2004, known as FALCPA. This act required food companies to clearly state on their labels if the product includes any of the 8 major allergy-causing substances. However, the law did not require the manufacturers to include information regarding possible cross-contamination of foods processed by equipment used for several different types of foods, perhaps including known allergens.
Cross-contact statements are being including by some manufacturers on their labels voluntarily, but there is still the potential for allergic problems to be incurred when buying food items manufactured for the general population of consumers. It may take only a very small amount of an allergen to cause serious problems for someone sensitive to it. Foods processed specifically with the needs of the food allergy sufferer in mind will have far less probability of containing unwanted allergens.
Obviously one may, if in doubt about a particular food item, contact the manufacturing company about ingredients included, or the possibility of cross-contamination with allergens. There is, however, a much higher comfort level knowing that a company manufactures foods specifically for those with food allergies. Among the benefits of allergy free foods is the greater degree of safety one can reasonably expect from foods processed this way.
Postingan
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar