Food allergy is one of the most difficult and interesting issues of allergology, since it can develop on absolutely any product and manifest itself in a variety of clinical symptoms. Food allergies are understood as manifestations of hypersensitivity of the human body to food components caused by the production of antibodies and immune cells in the body to a particular product. Despite individual characteristics, the most common food allergens are distinguished: milk, eggs, cereals, legumes, fish, seafood, nuts, etc. So what determines the allergenicity of these products?
Peanuts
Peanuts, or groundnuts, are among the ten most allergenic foods that can cause severe reactions in humans, including anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis is a severe life-threatening generalized or systemic hypersensitivity reaction that can manifest as rashes in the form of urticaria, itching, swelling of the skin and mucous membranes, respiratory disorders, decreased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, etc. (World Allergy Organization, 2003).
Recently, the number of allergic reactions to peanuts has been steadily increasing, reaching 2% of all allergy cases in some countries.There are 13 main allergic components of peanuts, among which the most important role is played by the protein Arah2, hypersensitivity (sensitization) to which is detected in 97.5% of patients with peanut allergy. Hypersensitivity to another protein, Arah8, causes cross-allergic reactions between peanuts and birch and alder pollen. Cross-reactions are understood as allergic reactions that occur between allergens having a similar chemical structure (for example, birch and apple, or strawberry and blackberry), while the body does not "see" the difference and reacts with an allergic reaction to both products / allergens (cross allergy).
In case of severe allergic reactions to peanuts in the past, it is necessary to carefully monitor the composition of the products, as well as not to consume other types of nuts. It must be remembered that traces of peanuts can be found in crackers, muesli, various gravies and pastes, chocolate butter, nougat, liqueurs, flavors and natural extracts. An allergological examination will help to accurately answer the question about the possibility of developing allergic reactions to various types of nuts.
Egg
The egg white is the most allergenic part of it, unlike the yolk, which is almost 50 times less active. The protein consists of 23 different proteins, among which the ovomucoid is the most important, accounting for up to 10% of all egg proteins. It has unique characteristics, in particular, it is resistant to heat and degradation by enzymes. This explains the fact that eggs do not cease to be allergenic even when boiled. Hypersensitivity to chicken protein in 50-60% of cases is combined with intolerance to chicken meat.
Eggs are widely used in the food industry for the manufacture of bread, confectionery, ice cream, glazes, pasta, various sauces, including mayonnaise, some varieties of sausages and a number of other products. In addition, many vaccines (vaccines against influenza, tick-borne encephalitis, etc.) are industrially cultivated on chicken embryos and may contain impurities in their tissues and, consequently, cause allergic reactions.
Milk
Most patients suffering from allergic reactions to milk show hypersensitivity to several proteins included in its composition. Among them, caseins, alpha- and beta-lactoglobulins are most often mentioned. It is the degree of hypersensitivity to casein that determines the severity and duration of an allergic reaction to milk. Casein can also be found as an additive in minced meat products, soups and stews of industrial production.
Wheat, wheat flour
Wheat allergens cross-react with grass pollen allergens. The main culprit of sensitization is the omega-5 component gliadin. If an allergy to wheat is detected, all foods containing wheat protein should be excluded from the diet: bakery products, pancakes, pancakes, confectionery, cereal dishes, crackers, pasta, pizza, some types of ice cream, ketchup. Wheat substitutes are (in the absence of hypersensitivity) cereals such as oats, rice, barley, etc.
Fish, seafood
Soy
The European Medical Center performs all types of diagnostics of food and other forms of allergies.
Fish, seafood
Fish proteins, primarily parvalbumins, can cause severe allergic reactions up to and including anaphylactic shock. Allergy to marine fish is observed more often than to freshwater fish, which is primarily due to the different content of parvalbumins in different varieties.
Parvalbumins are very stable proteins. They do not break down during heat treatment, but turn into steam during cooking, therefore, allergic reactions may also develop when inhaling fish vapors.
Seafood is a very strong allergen: shrimp, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, mussels, etc. People with allergies to crustaceans are often allergic to inhaled daphnia allergens, which are used as food for aquarium fish.
Soy
Soy allergy is more common in children with allergic reactions or intolerance to cow's milk who receive soy milk as a substitute.
Soy products are part of many grocery products, and can be found in baked goods, canned goods, sauces, and soups. If you are allergic to soy, it is not recommended to use peanuts due to the possibility of cross-allergic reactions.
The diagnosis of food allergies is of great importance, as it allows you to identify and objectively assess the degree of a patient's allergic reaction to various foods, and knowledge of possible cross-reactions helps to correctly formulate a hypoallergenic diet.
One of the main methods of diagnosing food allergies is allergic skin tests, during which a small amount of food extracts in the form of a solution is placed on the forearm or back. Swelling and redness of the skin in the area of application indicate an allergy to this product.
In addition to skin tests, laboratory blood testing methods are widely used: the radioallergosorbent test (RAST), the enzyme immunoassay method (ELISA), as well as the passive hemagglutination reaction (PGA), which make it possible to determine hypersensitivity to various food components with a high degree of reliability. There are other more subtle methods of allergy diagnosis, the need for which is determined by the attending physician.
The European Medical Center performs all types of diagnostics of food and other forms of allergies.
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