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Food allergy and food intolerance are both types of food sensitivity and are often confused. When someone has a food allergy, their immune system reacts to a particular food because it falsely thinks the food isn’t safe. If someone has a severe food allergy, this can cause a life-threatening reaction. Food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system and is generally not life-threatening. But if someone eats a food they are intolerant to, this could make them feel ill. A food allergy is an immune system response. It occurs when the body mistakes an ingredient in food - usually a protein - as harmful and creates a defense system (antibodies) to fight it. Allergy symptoms develop when the antibodies are battling the "invading" food. The most common food allergies are peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, egg whites, soy, and wheat. Food allergies affect about 2 to 4% of adults and 6 to 8% of children. Many food allergies are outgrown, with the exception of peanut allergies.
See our Allergy Testing page for information on testing for food allergies. What is food intolerance?
Food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response. When something in a food irritates a person's digestive system or when a person is unable to properly digest the food it is considered an intolerance. Intolerance to lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products, is the most common food intolerance, and is found in about 10% of Americans. Lactose intolerance is rare in infants and young children. It commonly develops during and briefly after a stomach virus, then resolves. Others develop a lactose intolerance as they grow older. Food intolerances are usually dose dependent, the more offending food eaten, the worse the symptoms.
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