Food Allergy and Food Intolerance

c) Describe common examples of food intolerance

peanut allergy Cows' milk intolerance coeliac disease - gluten sensitivity lactose intolerance - enzyme lactase deficiency

b) List some conditions that result from food allergy

stomach upsets, rashes, eczema, itching of the skin or mouth, swelling of tissues (e.g. the lips or throat) or difficulty in breathing anaphylaxis

a) Explain the difference between food allergy and food intolerance

Food intolerance is the general term used to describe a range of adverse responses to food, including allergic reactions (e.g. peanut allergy or coeliac disease), adverse reactions resulting from enzyme deficiencies (e.g. lactose intolerance or hereditary fructose intolerance), pharmacological reactions (e.g. caffeine sensitivity) and other non-defined responses. An allergic reaction to a food can be described as an inappropriate reaction by the body's immune system to the ingestion of a food that in the majority of individuals causes no adverse effects.