What You Need To Know

1. FOOD ALLERGIES What You Need To Know

2. Incidendence • 50 million Americans suffer from all types of allergies • Indoor/outdoor • Food & Drug • Latex • Insect • Skin • Eye Resource: Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America

3. Incidence • 12 million Americans have food allergy • 50,000 emergency room visits yearly • Accidental exposures are the major causes of allergic reactions to foods • 50 % of subjects in the United States with food allergy have an allergic reaction to accidental exposure   Resource: Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America

4. Mortality • Accounts for…. • 200 deaths for food allergies FYI • 100 deaths for insect allergies Resource: Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America

5. 8 Common Food’s Cause 90% of the allergic reactions in the United States • Cow's milk • Eggs • Peanuts • Wheat • Soy • Fish • Shellfish • Tree nuts

6. Cause of Food Allergies • Allergic reactions happen when the immune system overreacts to normally harmless protein substances such as pollen, dust mites, food, insect stings, latex, and drugs.

7. Causes of Food Allergy • immune system produces antibodies in response to foreign substances in an effort to protect the body from harm.

8. Mild Food-Allergic Reaction • Respiratory tract: • Itchy, watery eyes, running or stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, itching or swelling of the lips, wheezing • GI tract: • abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea • Skin: • hives, eczema, itchy red rash, swelling Symptoms sometimes progress rapidly to Severe Reactions

9. Severe Food-Allergic Reaction • Respiratory • shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, chest tightness, tingling of the mouth, itching or swelling of the mouth or throat, change in voice • Cardiovascular • Drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness/fainting, shock

10. Prevention • Strict avoidance of that food • Constant vigilance • Just one little bite can hurt!

11. Causes of Accidental Exposures • Not reading ingredient label to be sure food is allergen-free • Food trading • Inaccurate labeling • Contamination from other foods from improperly cleaned utensils and table surfaces

12. Causes of Accidental Exposures • Allergic Reactions can occur through different contact • Smell • Touch • Taste

13. Food Allergy Facts • The same food can cause different symptoms from one person to another • Not all people with food allergies have severe reactions • Some mild reactions may become severe • A food allergy management plan is needed for all persons with a food allergy

14. Common Treatments • Mild Reaction • Antihistamines • Benadryl • Zyrtec • Severe Reaction • Epinephrine (Epi-Pen) • Antihistamine (i.e. Benadryl) • Counteracts the histamine reaction

15. Onset of Reaction Within seconds up to 4 hours

16. Legal • 2006 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) • food labels are required to state clearly whether the food contains a "major food allergen

17. However…. • Who notifies the public that ingredients have changed? No one…. You must ALWAYS read the Labels….ALWAYS

18. References • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/foodAllergy/ • Bren, L. (2006, March). Food labels identify allergens more clearly. FDA Consumer, 40(2), 37-38. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from CINAHL database.

19. References • Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America --http://www.aafa.org/