If only you'd thought to mention that shrimp would be the main course . Avoiding the above scenario isn't too difficult. It's mostly a matter of communicating with the guests and knowing how to handle certain food allergy issues in the kitchen. This is important because, although an unexpected food allergy situation is inconvenient for the cook, it can be dangerous for the food-allergic guest. Although it may seem that nearly everyone has an allergy to some food or another, in reality true food allergies are quite rare, affecting only 2 to 2.5 percent of the adult population.
Many infants outgrow allergies.
All true food allergies are immunological in nature, while non-immunological reactions include a wide variety of adverse food reactions. Here are the basic facts about food allergies, and how they differ from other food sensitivities. The most severe food allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis. This infrequent, yet potentially fatal, response to a food allergen involves several different body systems and results in a number of symptoms instead of the usual one or two seen with a typical food allergy. Immediate medical attention is necessary, and treatment usually includes an injection of epinephrine.