For an Adobe Acrobat version of this file, click here. Allergies affect the lives of millions of people around the world. Fresh spring flowers, a friend s cat or dog, even the presence of dust can make people itch, sneeze and scratch almost uncontrollably. Almost two percent of Americans have an allergy to these or other foods.
Food allergies can be life threatening.
Knowledge about food allergies can help save a life. Food allergy is a reaction of the body s immune system to something in a food or an ingredient in a food usually a protein. It can be a serious condition and should be diagnosed by a board-certified allergist. The eight most common food allergens milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish cause more than 90 percent of all food allergic reactions. However, many other foods have been identified as allergens for some people.