It isn't a true allergy. Most people with food allergies are allergic to less than 4 foods. Bad reactions to food dyes are rare. They may occur in less than 1 of 100 children and in less than 1 of 500 adults. However, people rarely outgrow allergies to groundnuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.
Food allergy can be fatal if it causes a reaction called anaphylaxis.
This reaction makes it hard for a person to breathe. Fast treatment with a medicine called epinephrine can save a life. The most common chronic illnesses associated with food allergies are eczema and asthma. Treatment Minor allergic reactions can be treated with antihistamines. A person having an allergic reaction should be taken by ambulance to a hospital emergency room, because the symptoms might start again even after epinephrine is given.