About Food Allergies
The job of the body's immune system is to identify and destroy germs (such as bacteria and viruses) that can make you sick. A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless food protein (we know it as an allergen) as a threat and attacks it. Eight common food allergens are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. The severity of allergic reactions can range from mild to life-threatening.
FUN FACTS ABOUT FOOD ALLERGIES
In the United States, food allergies affect an estimated 5 percent of children under the age of five and about four percent of people five and older
If someone has food allergies, they are more likely to have asthma and eczema too
Every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room - that is more than 200,000 emergency room visits per year