Almost every single person is affected at some point in his or her life by a food allergy or intolerance. Generally the foods that cause a reaction that is unpleasant are removed from the diet, and the problem is solved. There are actually only about 1% of adults that suffer from allergies to specific foods, and approximately 3% of the population’s children have this type of allergy. In food allergies, two different features that involve the response of the immune system are involved. These include the production of antibodies, which are a protein called IgE or immunoglobulin E that flows through the blood in the body, and the second one is known as the mast cell. These are cells that occur in all areas where tissue of the body is formed, but are more common in areas that are more prone to having an allergic reaction. These areas would include the skin, throat, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and the nose. When a person’s body produces IgE to fight against things such as food items, it is a predisposition that has been inherited and ultimately ends up in a food allergy.
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