Food allergies and intolerances

What is food allergy and food intolerance?

Food allergies affect 1 to 2 % of the population. Symptoms can be serious and in some cases life threatening. These include swelling of the lips or throat, sudden and violent skin rashes, vomiting or sudden asthmatic breathing or anaphylaxis. Coming into contact with even a minute amount of the allergen can cause a severe reaction.

Food intolerance is thought to affect many more people and has been linked with illnesses including asthma, eczema, migraines and irritable bowel syndrome. Reactions to the foods can occur from two hours or several days after eating them. The more well known intolerances include gluten in wheat, rye and barley, called Coeliac's disease and lactose in milk.

Better Food Labelling for Allergy Sufferers

Some help is on the way for consumers with food allergies, and their carers when shopping for allergy-free food. From November 2005 food labels on pre-packed food must show clearly if any of 12 major allergens, such as wheat, eggs and peanuts, are added as ingredients. The declaration of the allergen may appear in the name of the food, in the ingredients list or in a separate food allergy box.

Many food companies have already changed labels. However food packed before November 25th 2005 is allowed to stay on sale even if the allergen information is not given, so consumers should take particular care with long-life foods.

Food sold loose, for example at bakeries and butchers, do not need to have allergen information, nor do meals sold at restaurants and takeaways, so allergy sufferers will still have to discuss their needs with the person serving.

The full list of allergenic ingredients which must be labelled is:

• Cereals containing gluten: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut and their hybridised strains
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Peanuts
• Soybeans
• Milk
• Nuts: Almond, Hazelnut, Walnut, Cashew, Pecan nut, Brazil nut, Pistachio nut, Macadamia nut and Queensland nut
• Celery
• Mustard
• Sesame seeds
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre expressed as SO2

With effect from 31 May 2009 products containing

• lupin or
• molluscs

must also be labelled. Products already labelled before this date may continue to be sold.

 

How can I avoid problems?

Read food labels carefully.

However, as there will still be foods on sale that are were packed before this new law came in and may not therefore be marked with this information. Ask for full information from manufacturers and retailers. Many of the major supermarkets can provide food lists based on allergens so you can decide which foods are suitable before shopping.

There is no requirement to give ingredient information for foods sold in restaurants and take-aways, although some do provide ingredient lists. Ask serving staff for full information explaining that you have an allergy to a particular food or foods. Telephoning in advance may ensure your questions can be answered and some restaurants may offer to prepare a meal suitable for you.

The Food Standards Agency has produced an interactive chef card to help people with food allergy or intolerance when they’re eating out. The simple credit card sized cards can be filled in and given to restaurant staff to let the chef know which foods the customer needs to avoid. For full details visit the Food Standards Agency website.

Explain to your family, friends and colleagues that you have a food allergy and what this means.

For further information on food allergies visit www.anaphylaxis.org.uk (Link opens in new window)

Food allergy alerts

Where foods have been withdrawn or recalled because there is a food allergy risk (for example allergy labelling is missing or incorrect) these foods are listed on the Food Standards Agency's website as an allergy alert. (Link opens in new window)