Food Allergy

A food allergy is an immune system response in which the body mistakenly identifies a specific food protein as harmful, triggering reactions that range from mild hives and digestive discomfort to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Food allergy is a serious immune-mediated disease affecting more than 33 million people in the United States, across all regions and demographic groups. This includes approximately 18 million adults and 4 million children. Prevalence among children has risen dramatically — up 50% between 1997 and 2011, and another 50% between 2007 and 2021 — with increases occurring at faster rates among Black and Hispanic Americans than White Americans. The nine most common allergens — milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame — account for the vast majority of reactions. Each year, approximately 200,000 people in the United States seek emergency medical care due to food allergic reactions. There is no cure for most food allergies; management centers on strict avoidance, emergency preparedness with epinephrine, and emerging immunotherapy options for certain allergens such as peanut.