Most people associate allergies with little more than annoying sniffles, sneezes and wheezes.
And, experts say, the most frustrating aspect of the 150 to 200 food-allergy deaths in the United States each year is that many of them could have been prevented. In one case in a food establishment, a boy who ordered an ice cream sundae sent it back because he was allergic to the peanuts on it. The kitchen simply picked off the peanuts, applied more whipped cream and sent the sundae back to him. He subsequently had a severe reaction, Munoz-Furlong says. It's those kinds of shortcuts and a lack of awareness that can cost people their lives.