WASHINGTON, DC (August 13, 2001)—Today, the FDA is holding a public meeting on food allergen labeling to determine how best to make ingredient labeling more understandable for consumers. To provide background on the issue, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation is releasing a new
IFIC Review, “Understanding Food Allergy.”
This referenced white paper offers the latest scientific information on food allergy. It provides an overview of food allergy issues including symptoms, diagnosis, and management. The white paper also offers insight on how to distinguish a food allergy from other sensitivities to food. “Understanding Food Allergy” includes essential background information for reporters/editors in preparing stories on today’s FDA meeting and will advance food allergy understanding for all audiences.
Food allergy is defined as any adverse reaction to an otherwise harmless food or food component that involves the body’s immune system. Scientific studies have estimated that approximately 2% of the American population suffer from food allergies. It is also estimated that 4-8% of American children are diagnosed with adverse reactions to food or food components. The most common food allergens include milk, eggs, fish, shellfish (crustaceans and mollusks), soy, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts (e.g. walnuts), accounting for over 90% of all food allergic reactions.
The IFIC Foundation offers an array of food allergy resources, including a list of credible resource organizations, a food allergy brochure, and a Q&A on food allergy. In addition to the
IFIC Review, “Understanding Food Allergy,” many of these resources are available from the IFIC Foundation Web site,
http://ific.org/food/allergy.
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The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation is the educational arm of IFIC. IFIC’s mission is to communicate science-based information on food safety and nutrition issues to health and nutrition professionals, educators, journalists, government officials, and others providing information to consumers. IFIC and the IFIC Foundation are primarily supported by the food, beverage and agricultural industries. IFIC Foundation materials are available at http://ific.org.
