A food allergy is an overreaction of immune system to a food or a certain substance in food. The body’s immune system sees the substance (usually a protein) as a threat and reacts by causing symptoms. Food allergy symptoms can vary from mild to severe. They generally include abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, hives, erythema, itching, wheezing, chest pain and rhinitis. In some severe cases the reactions can lead to anaphylaxis with low blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Anaphylaxis sometimes can be life-threating too.

 

Worldwide, approximate 6~8% of children has experienced or experiencing food allergies; the number of adults is about 2%. Due to complex reasons, the proportion of allergic population has significantly increased in the recent decades. Food allergen awareness and regulation thus have become an import issue for the government of most countries. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EU Commission both have promulgated that the labelling of food allergens on the package as mandatory (Public Law 108-282 and EU No 1169/2011).

 

It has been shown that allergy reactions can be triggered by numerous foods. But the most common food allergens include milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. At present there is no cure for food allergies. Therefore the only way to prevent food allergy is to avoid the food you are allergic to. AGITEST Food Allergen Rapid Test is an immunochromatographic lateral flow test with advantages of simple operation, time saving and high accuracy. The test can help allergic population to identify unwanted foods to reduce the risk of food allergies. It also can be as a tool for allergen control in different stages of food processing, include inbound ingredients, shared facilities, final products and surface screening.