About Food Allergies
The job of the body's immune system is to identify and destroy germs (such as bacteria and viruses) that can make you sick. A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless food protein (we know it as an allergen) as a threat and attacks it. Eight common food allergens are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. The severity of allergic reactions can range from mild to life-threatening.
FUN FACTS ABOUT FOOD ALLERGIES
1
In the United States, food allergies affect an estimated 5 percent of children under the age of five and about four percent of people five and older
2
If someone has food allergies, they are more likely to have asthma and eczema too
3
Every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room - that is more than 200,000 emergency room visits per year