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188 7.1 Food Hypersensitivity – Food Allergies and Intolerances
Non IgE-mediated food allergy ●● some fruits, especially citrus fruits, bananas and
When immune cells other than IgE are involved in avocado pears
the reaction to a protein in the food, the symptoms
appear more slowly – usually a few hours after ●● foods containing monosodium glutamate
eating the food. The typical symptoms are: (MSG) as a flavour enhancer. Some foods
contain large amounts of MSG and it may cause
●● abdominal pain or colic, bloating and wind flushing, headache and stomach ache
●● constipation ●● milk – infants and children may sometimes
become intolerant to lactose, which is the sugar
●● diarrhoea in milk, for a short time following a bout of viral
gastroenteritis. During this time they lack the
●● eczema – a gradual increase in the number and enzyme lactase and consequently do not digest
size of the sites being affected the lactose. This can cause loose stools and wind
but usually resolves within a few weeks.
●● reflux
Additives
●● vomiting a few hours after meal
Whether additives in food such as artificial colours
●● wheeze. and preservatives cause reactions is currently
unclear and needs further investigation. The Food
Non-allergic food hypersensitivity Standards Agency advises that any foods, drinks or
or food intolerance medicines containing the following should not be
given to infants and children:
When a child has a food intolerance, the immune
system does not respond to the food but an unpleasant Colours: E102
reaction to food still occurs. The symptoms usually E124
appear a few hours or even days after eating the food Tartrazine E110
and they are rarely life-threatening. Foods which Ponceau 4R E122
children can be intolerant to include: Sunset yellow E104
Carmosine E129
●● citrus fruits: these fruits sometimes contain Quinoline yellow
high levels of benzoic acid which can cause a Allura red AC E211
harmless flare reaction around the mouth Preservative:
Sodium benzoate
●● fruits and vegetables containing salicylates or
histamines can cause reactions similar to food How Common Are Food Allergies?
allergy such as hives and skin rashes, even facial
swelling in some toddlers. The foods with the Many parents suspect their child has a food allergy
highest levels that are most likely to cause such a but it is only clinically diagnosed in about 10 per
reaction are strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries cent of these children. The symptoms listed above
and blackberries. may be caused by other environmental substances
rather than food, such as dust mites. For example,
Foods containing biogenic amines can cause fewer than half of the infants and children with
headache, nausea and giddiness. They include: eczema have this skin condition because of a
reaction to food. Food allergy is more likely in
●● cheese, especially if matured children with severe and widespread eczema.
●● fermented foods such as blue cheese, sauerkraut,
fermented soya products
●● yeast extracts
●● fish, especially if stale or pickled
●● microbial contaminated foods
●● chocolate
