Food allergy

Alternative names:

allergy to food; food hypersensitivity

Symptoms:

These symptoms may follow ingestion of the offending food(s)

• scratchy throat
• anaphylaxis (which may result in death)
• abdominal pain
• abdominal sounds (borborygmus, a gurgling or splashing sound heard over the intestine)
• diarrhea
• nausea
• vomiting
• stomach cramps
• a bloated feeling
• itching of the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, or any area
• hives (urticaria)
• angioedema (hives of the eyelids, lips, and so on)
• lightheadedness, fainting
• a headache
• nasal congestion
• a runny nose (rhinitis)
• shortness of breath
• wheezing
• difficulty swallowing

Signs and tests:

A history of symptom development shortly after contact with a suspect food or food additive is highly suspicious of food allergy. Listening to the lungs with a stethoscope (auscultation) may show wheezing.

Antibody and/or immunoglobulin (particularly IgE) levels that are elevated confirm the presence of an allergy.

The food causing the allergy can sometimes be identified by:

• elimination diets (The suspected food is eliminated from the diet until the symptoms disappear, then reintroduced to see if allergic reaction develops. This method is not foolproof but may be used to narrow the list of suspected foods.)
• food provocation diet
• skin tests - allergy