Food Allergy Among U.S. Children: Trends in Prevalence and Hospitalizations

Food allergy is a potentially serious immune response to eating specific
foods or food additives. Eight types of food account for over 90% of
allergic reactions in affected individuals: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat (1,2). Reactions to these foods by an allergic person
can range from a tingling sensation around the mouth and lips and hives to
death, depending on the severity of the allergy. The mechanisms by which a person develops an allergy to specific foods ...