Food hypersensitivity refers to all types of overreactions that an organism can have against a food component. Food sensitivity includes food allergy and food intolerance.

Food allergy is a specific form of food hypersensitivity that activates the immune system, leading to an exaggerated response. An immunological reaction is a reaction against foreign substances entering the body. An allergen (nearly always a protein in the offending food) sets off a chain of reactions in the immune system including the release of antibodies. These antibodies trigger the release of body chemicals, such as histamine, which give rise to various symptoms such as itchy skin, a runny nose, coughing or wheezing.

Common food allergens are cow's milk, soy, eggs, fruits, peanuts, treenuts such as hazelnuts, seafood and most recently allergies to products that have not been traditionally used in Europe such as kiwi or mango.

Already a small amount of food proteins can trigger an allergic reaction. The immune system protects our body from harmful foreign proteins (i.e. antigens) by generating a response to eliminate them. In a true allergic reaction, the immune system produces antibodies. An antibody is a protein that specifically binds with an antigen to inactivate it and remove it from the body. The class of antibodies known as immunoglobulin E (Ig E) reacts with the antigen and this in turn triggers a reaction with the mast cells (tissue cells) and basophiles (a type of blood cell). Mast cells are found below the surface of the skin and in the membranes lining the nose, respiratory tract, eyes and intestine. A substance called histamine or other substances such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins are released from mast cells and they cause allergic responses. These adverse reactions are immediate and usually localised.

Fortunately, most allergic reactions to food are relatively mild, but a small number of people have a very severe and life-threatening reaction, called anaphylactic shock. An anaphylactic shock is a sudden drop in blood pressure that can be fatal if not treated quickly. It can sometimes occur within a few minutes of exposure. Peanuts are well known for causing anaphylactic shock and emergency treatment includes the use of an injection of adrenaline to open airways and to constrict blood vessels.

Some allergic reactions take several hours or even days to develop. These are called delayed hypersensitivity reactions; typical symptoms involve the skin, lungs and intestines.

Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food that does not involve the immune system. The reaction is due to non-digestion/non-absorption of a specific food or component. The symptoms are specific to individuals. Examples are lactose intolerance and fructose intolerance.

Presently, no adequate treatment exists to cure food intolerances. Once diagnosed, the only effective treatment is to avoid the foods that cause problems. Only for lactose intolerance enzyme preparations with the lactase enzyme are available in some countries.

Types of Food Allergies and Intolerances:

It should be noted that in some cases the same product can cause both allergies as well as an intolerance :

Milk : allergy against the proteins in milk, intolerance against the lactose

Wheat : allergy against the wheat proteins, intolerance against gluten (celiac disease)

Hi sunnygirl - that's not a bad website

http://www.food-info.net/uk/intol/intro.htm

Anaphylactic shock is a terrifying experience to see someone go through, and not all of them make it. 15 years ago an 11 year old girl died in a neighbouring town after going into anaphylactic shock.

She had an allergic reaction to a natural product called Royal Jelly, which she had been eating for two years without any problems. Her mother was a nurse that had worked in some of the largest children's hospitals in Australia and she had put her daughter on Royal Jelly because she wanted to boost her daughter's immune system so she didn't contract colds each winter.

Within seconds of eating Royal Jelly she went into shock and even though she lived within 200 metres of the hospital, they still could not save her, she died on the steps as they opened the door, before they could inject her with adrenaline.

The big killer with anaphylactic shock is the rapid swelling of the tongue and bronchial tubes, closing off peoples breathing.

Royal Jelly like a lot of natural products can be contaminated by other things, in this case by whatever the bees had walked through in gathering the pollen.

Cheers

Food is generally the most common cause of anaphylaxis. Common food triggers include nuts, shellfish (shrimp, lobster), dairy products, egg whites, and sesame seeds. Wasp or bee stings are also common causes of anaphylaxis.

Additionally, exercise can trigger anaphylaxis if the activity occurs after eating allergy-provoking food.

Hi niki.

Do you remember the case in England a few years ago where it was alleged a fellow kissed his girlfriend after eating a peanut butter sandwich sending her into anaphylactic shock resulting in her death. Bluebottle or any other stings can initiate anaphylaxis in sensitive people.


Cheers

The major food allergens:
- Milk
- Egg
- Fish
- Crustacean shellfish (ex crab, lobster, or shrimp)
- Tree nuts (ex. almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
- Wheat
- Peanuts
- Soybeans

By Food and Allergen and Consumer Protection Act 2004 requires food manufacturers to label food products that contain an ingredient that is or contains protein from a major food allergen in one of two ways.

The first option for food manufacturers is to include the name of the food source in parenthesis following the common or usual name of the major food allergen in the list of ingredients in instances when the name of the food source of the major allergen does not appear elsewhere in the ingredient statement.

The second option is to place the word "Contains" followed by the name of the food source from which the major food allergen is derived, immediately after or adjacent to the list of ingredients, in type size that is no smaller than the type size used for the list of ingredients.

Analytical

Hi analytical,

With a signature like that I could not resist clicking on it. Are you the lab? What an ad.

Cheers

Food hypersensitivity refers to all types of overreactions that an organism can have against a food component. Food sensitivity includes food allergy and food intolerance.Food allergy is a specific form of food hypersensitivity that activates the immune system, leading to an exaggerated response.Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food that does not involve the immune system. The reaction is due to non-digestion/non-absorption of a specific food or component.

Food hypersensitivity means the body is unable to fully break down certain foods like certain sugars,such as lactose in milk and some colourants.It can be used to describe adverse reactions to food.Food hypersensitivity refers to all types of overreactions that an organism can have against a food component.Food sensitivity includes food allergy
and food intolerance.

So what would it be called when you get hives, specifically only on the face, when you ingest acid-type foods and beverages? Is that intolerance, allergy, hyper-sensitivity?? I've had to abstain from most soda beverages and fruit juices unless I take omeprazole for several days afterward. I also take half a pill of cetirizine daily to deal with the hives. Also get hives when I eat tomato-based foods. Have intermittent acid-reflux really bad too! I'm guessing something to do with the stomach or intestinal tract causing the reaction. Just can't understand why I only get hives on my face when I consume these products. The gastro-face link makes no sense.

Hi health-buddy,
I am only guessing but it may be body part specific to the first line of defence, in this case organs associated with the face, when fish cleaners come in hand contact with allergy producing fish they get hives on the arms, if swallowed it may produce anaphylaxis (throat region). HealthCastle could probably give a more satisfactory answer than this.

Cheers

Food hypersensitivity is a term which can be used to describe adverse reactions to food. There are two different types of food hypersensitivity – food allergy and food intolerance.To determine the role of food hypersensitivity in atopic dermatitis and to determine whether patients with atopic dermatitis who had food hypersensitivity could be identified by screening prick skin tests using a limited number of food allergens.

Food intolerance is where the body’s reaction to food does not involve the immune system.Food intolerance is sometimes also called non-allergic food hypersensitivity.Food hypersensitivity is an umbrella term which can be used to describe adverse reactions to food.

Food hypersensitivity is defined as an adverse reaction to a food protein that results from an immunologic mechanism.It is important to differentiate food hypersensitivity from ‘food intolerance’ as the management of these conditions is different.Food hypersensitivity is an uncommon skin disorder in dogs and cats that is caused by an allergic reaction to food.

Food intolerance is where the body’s reaction to food does not involve the immune system.Food Hypersensitivity is a state of altered reactivity in which the body reacts with an exaggerated immune response to a foreign agent.Allergy is a synonym for hypersensitivity.Food intolerance is sometimes also called non-allergic food hypersensitivity.Wheat intolerance or lactose intolerance are examples of food intolerances.

You said right i would like to know about my problems solutions, actually i have allergy from rice.