Food intolerances

and allergies

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Learning objectives
• To identify the difference between a
food intolerance and an allergy.
• To recognise the common food
intolerances and causes of allergic
reaction.
• To describe how allergens are identified
on food labelling.
• To examine how allergens can be
consumed inadvertently and discuss
how to avoid this.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Food intolerance
Most people can eat foods without any
problems although they may have different
likes or dislikes that influence what they
choose.

However, some people react to certain

foods and eating them may cause
uncomfortable symptoms or, in rare cases,
a severe illness.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Reasons for food
intolerance
There are many reasons for unpleasant
reactions to food. A general term for those
that are not caused by food poisoning are
food intolerances.

Food intolerance is more common in

children than in adults. Children often grow
out of the intolerance before they go to
school.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 The difference between
intolerances and allergies
Food intolerances are more common than
food allergies. The symptoms of food
intolerance tend to come on more slowly,
often many hours after eating the problem
food. Typical symptoms include bloating
and stomach cramps.

A food allergy  is a rapid and potentially

serious response to a food by your immune
system. It can trigger classic allergy
symptoms such as a rash, wheezing and
itching.

Genuine food allergy is rare. About 2% of

the population and 8% of children under
© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015
 Food intolerances
• Gluten (coeliac disease) – the protein
found in wheat, rye, barley and some
oats;
• Dairy (lactose) – the sugar found in all
mammals’ milk, e.g. cow’s, goat’s and
buffalo;
• Yeast – bread and cereal products
containing yeast, fermented or ripe
foods, vinegar and salad dressing.

(www.allergyuk.org)

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Food allergies
Most unpleasant reactions to food are not
true food allergies.

A food allergy is one particular type of

food intolerance that involves the body’s
immune system. Food intolerances may
cause uncomfortable symptoms, but only
true allergies involve the immune system.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Food allergies
The immune system is part of the body’s
defence system, as it protects against
foreign organisms like bacteria and viruses.
In some people, they may also react to
substances in foods, or in the environment,
e.g. pollen or animal fur.

This response is known as an allergic

reaction.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Causes of allergic reactions
Most foods may cause an allergy, the
symptoms of which can be uncomfortable
but when severe can be fatal.

In the UK, the most common food allergies

are to eggs, milk, fish, peanuts and tree
nuts (such as walnuts, Brazil nuts
and almonds). * In the UK, kiwi fruit allergy
among children is becoming more
common.*

There are up to 10 recognised deaths from

food allergies in the UK every year. *

Source: http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/food-industry/about-food-allergy
© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015
 Symptoms
A food allergy usually occurs between a
few minutes and a few hours after eating a
particular food.
The symptoms of food allergies vary from
person to person and can include:
• Coughing;
• Dry, itchy throat and tongue;
• Nausea and feeling bloated;
• Wheezing and shortness of breath;
• Swelling of the lips and throat;
• Runny or blocked nose;
• Sore, red and itchy eyes.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Preventing allergic
reactions
People who have an allergic reaction to
foods or ingredients must be particularly
careful about what they eat and reading
labels and menus carefully is especially
important.

New rules that came into effect from

December 2014 include the way allergen
information appears on labels and on food
that is pre-packed, sold loose or served in a
restaurant, café or take-away.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Major allergens
Fourteen major allergens have been
identified and will be highlighted on the
label within the ingredients list. They are:
• Cereals containing gluten;
• Crustaceans, e.g. prawns, crabs, lobster
and crayfish;
•Eggs;
• Fish;
• Peanuts;
• Soybeans;
• Milk;

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Major allergens
• Nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts,
walnuts, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts,
pistachio, cashew and macadamia
nuts;
• Celery (and celeriac);
• Mustard;
• Sesame;
• Sulphur dioxide which is a
preservative found in some dried fruit
such as apricots;
• Lupin;
• Molluscs, e.g. clams, mussels, whelks,
oysters, snails and squid.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 How will allergens be listed
on a food label?
The fourteen major allergens will be
highlighted on the label within the
ingredients list rather than in a separate box
as has been done in the past.

The allergen could be identified in bold,

highlighted, underlined or in italics.

The example below is for a basic Victoria

sponge:

Eggs, wheat flour, butter, sugar, vanilla essence,

baking powder

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Eating out
From December 2014, information on any
of the 14 allergens used as ingredients will
need to be provided for foods sold without
packaging or wrapped on site, e.g. in delis,
cafes and restaurants.

This information could be written down on

a chalk board or chart, or provided orally
by a member of staff.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Unexpected allergens
Most severe allergic reactions are triggered
by an ingredient that was intended to be in
the product but the consumer did not read
the label or menu carefully or had been
misinformed by staff when eating out.
Examples of this could be:

• Peanut flour used to thicken the sauce in

a takeaway curry;
• Nuts present in a coronation chicken
salad;
• Milk present in a minor ingredient in a
pre-packed or catered food.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Did you know?
People with allergies or preparing food at
home need to be aware that:

• Peanuts are also known as groundnuts;

• Satay sauce is made with peanuts;
• Marzipan, praline, nougat and frangipane
are made with nuts;
• Pesto sauce can be made with nuts, and
also contains milk;
• Waldorf salad contains nuts;

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Did you know?
• Dishes containing sesame include tahini
and hummus;
• Whey and casein are proteins in milk and
therefore must be avoided by people
with milk allergy;
• Caesar salad dressing normally contains
anchovies;
• Worcestershire sauce is likely to contain
anchovies.

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

 Acknowledgement

For further information, go to:

www.food4life.org.uk

© LMC 2015

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015