What are Non Allergic Food Reactions?
AllergyExpert.US
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It is estimated that people eat 2-3 tons of food in a lifetime. With so much food exposure, it is thus not surprising that
food reactions will happen at one time or another. Polls demonstrate that about 20-25% of people believe that they
have a food allergy. In reality, food allergies only affect 6-8% of children and 2% of adults. So what is going on the
rest of the time?
It turns out that the majority of food reactions are due to food intolerance or food poisoning.
Food intolerance is defined in Stedman’s Medical Dictionary (27th Edition) as “impaired utilization or disposal of
dietary constituents”. This means that there is a problem with the digestion of the food or how it is used by the
body. Some reactions are due to problems digesting the food, such as lactose intolerance or fructose intolerance.
Some reactions can result from chemicals such as sulfites, tyramine, or histamine found in the food. Other reactions
can be due to food poisoning, due to bacteria growing on food that is not properly stored or cooked. The key
difference between food intolerance and food allergies is that food allergies result from the production of certain
antibodies (IgE) by the immune system. Some types of food intolerance reactions can also happen from the body’s
immune system reacting to certain proteins in foods (such as gluten in celiac disease) – but for these reactions, the
allergy antibody IgE is not involved.
food reactions will happen at one time or another. Polls demonstrate that about 20-25% of people believe that they
have a food allergy. In reality, food allergies only affect 6-8% of children and 2% of adults. So what is going on the
rest of the time?
It turns out that the majority of food reactions are due to food intolerance or food poisoning.
Food intolerance is defined in Stedman’s Medical Dictionary (27th Edition) as “impaired utilization or disposal of
dietary constituents”. This means that there is a problem with the digestion of the food or how it is used by the
body. Some reactions are due to problems digesting the food, such as lactose intolerance or fructose intolerance.
Some reactions can result from chemicals such as sulfites, tyramine, or histamine found in the food. Other reactions
can be due to food poisoning, due to bacteria growing on food that is not properly stored or cooked. The key
difference between food intolerance and food allergies is that food allergies result from the production of certain
antibodies (IgE) by the immune system. Some types of food intolerance reactions can also happen from the body’s
immune system reacting to certain proteins in foods (such as gluten in celiac disease) – but for these reactions, the
allergy antibody IgE is not involved.
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Symptoms of food allergies
Diagnosis of food allergies
Treatment of allergic reactions
Coping with food allergies
Prevention of food allergies
Food allergies and vaccines
Common Food Allergies
Egg allergy
Fish allergy
Peanut allergy
Sesame seed allergy
Shellfish allergy
Soy allergy
Tree nut allergy
Wheat allergy
Other Food Related Disorders
Atopic Dermatitis (eczema)
Eosinophilic Esophagitis and
Gastroenteritis
Non Allergic Food Reactions
Food Intolerance: the Basics
Lactose Intolerance
Sulfite Intolerance
Scombroid Poisoning