Food Allergies
A food allergy is an abnormal, exaggerated reaction of the immune system to certain foods.
When someone has a food allergy, their immune system wrongly sees the food as hostile and the body's defence mechanism springs into action. This produces a range of symptoms, which can vary from mild itching to severe breathing difficulties or even shock. These symptoms usually happen immediately after eating the food.
An allergen is any normally harmless substance that causes an immediate allergic reaction in a susceptible person. Food allergens are almost always proteins, although other food ingredients, such as some additives, are known to cause allergic reactions.
