🍽️ Food Allergies

Peanut allergy is one of the most common and potentially severe food allergies. Even trace amounts can trigger anaphylaxis in sensitised individuals, making vigilant label reading and emergency preparedness essential.

Tree nut allergy covers a broad group of nuts — almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts and others. Reactions range from mild oral tingling to severe anaphylaxis, and allergies to multiple tree nuts are common.

Shellfish allergy is one of the most common adult-onset food allergies and among the most persistent — it rarely resolves with age. Crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) and molluscs (oyster, squid, clam) can each trigger reactions.

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common childhood food allergies, affecting 2–3% of infants. It involves an immune response to milk proteins — casein and whey — and is distinct from lactose intolerance, which is not immune-mediated.

Egg allergy is one of the most common childhood food allergies. Reactions typically occur to egg white proteins, though some individuals also react to yolk. Most children outgrow it by adolescence.

Wheat allergy is an immune reaction to proteins in wheat — distinct from coeliac disease (an autoimmune condition) and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. It can cause immediate IgE-mediated reactions or delayed symptoms.

Soy allergy is common in infants and young children, particularly those with cow's milk allergy. Most reactions are mild, but severe reactions can occur. Soy is one of the top food allergens and is found in an enormous range of processed foods.

Sesame allergy is increasingly recognised as a major food allergen. It often persists into adulthood and can cause severe reactions. Sesame is now a mandatory declared allergen in many countries including the UAE and the United States.