A food allergy is a response by a person’s immune system to a food or food component it perceives as a threat. After a susceptible person ingests a problem food, the immune system reacts with the release of histamines and other chemicals that trigger symptoms ranging from mild to severe

The only way to avoid a food-related allergic reaction is to strictly avoid the allergy-causing food. Food allergies can be fatal if dietary avoidance is not diligently practiced. Individuals with a food allergy will need to read ingredient labels on foods and avoid products with unknown or questionable ingredients. If a label contains any unfamiliar terms, people with food allergies should call the manufacturer for a definition or avoid the food.

Over 90 percent of food allergies are triggered by proteins in the following foods:

• Cow’s milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soybeans
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Tree nuts

Removing a food type and all of its related ingredients and foods from the diet can be a large undertaking. An individual should work closely with a physician to better understand their condition and how to best avoid problem foods. Individuals with food allergies need to be constantly vigilant to avoid accidental contact.

Some allergic reactions can be brought on by just a trace amount of a food. Inhaling the gases produced by some cooked foods (e.g., fish) can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Other people can have a reaction from cross-contamination if a cooking utensil or surface touches both a problem food and a person’s own meal.

To better prevent an individual from ever developing a food allergy in the first place, some experts recommend that infants not be exposed to some types of food in the first years of life. Nursing mothers may be advised to remove any allergenic foods from their own diets to avoid passing on certain food proteins to their children.