There are 14 types of food allergens that can affect us from birth and carry on for the duration of our lives. These must be declared by law on restaurant/take away menu’s as well as on food packaging.
Organisations |
Location | Est. |
Services |
Irish Food Allergy Network |
Nationwide | 2013 |
The site content is intended for use by regulated healthcare professionals. Its aim is to help in diagnosing and managing suspected food allergy by regulated health care staff in community and hospital settings. |
Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute |
Dublin | 1958 |
We WORK WITH policy makers, health professionals, the public and individual patients, families and carers to inform them on nutrition and diet. |
Food Safety Authority Ireland | Nationwide | 1999 |
The principal function of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland is to protect consumers and raise compliance through partnership, science and food law enforcement. We are a statutory, independent and science-based body, dedicated to protecting public health and consumer interests in the area of food safety and hygiene. |
Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) Formerly known as the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) |
Dublin | 2014 |
We grant licences for medicines following a review of their safety, quality and effectiveness. |
Safe food |
Cork | 1999 |
Promotion of food safety, Research into food safety, Communication of nutritional advice, Promotion of scientific co-operation and laboratory linkages, Provide independent scientific advice, Deliver consumer focused review |
There are 14 types of food allergens that can affect us from birth and carry on for the duration of our lives as listed below. These must be declared by law.
Note: there are some derivatives of these allergens which are so highly processed that they are not considered an allergenic risk and so do not need to be highlighted as allergens. View the full list of allergens and exemptions
Allergen | Allergens are antigenic proteins which cause allergy |
Allergic Sensitisation | Occurs when an individual who produces IgE to a particular allergen (atopic) does not have a clinical allergic reaction when exposed to it. This is why using specific IgE as an allergy screen is inappropriate as many people are sensitised to an allergen rather than allergic to it. |
Allergy | An abnormal immune reaction to a substance which is not in itself harmful. It can be described as immediate or delayed. Immediate allergy is usually, but not exclusively, mediated by IgE and is also known as type 1 hypersensitivity |
Anaphylaxis | A serious allergic reaction that involves more than one organ system (for example, skin and respiratory tract and/or gastrointestinal tract), can begin very rapidly, and can cause death. |
Angioedema | Angioedema is characterized by:
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Asthma | Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells play a role, in particular mast cells, eosinophils and T lymphocytes, causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and cough particularly at night and/or in the early morning. These symptoms are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow limitation that is at least partly reversible either spontaneously or with treatment. |
Atopy | Atopy is a personal and/or familial tendency, usually in childhood or adolescence, to become sensitized and produce IgE antibodies in response to ordinary exposure to allergens, usually proteins. The production of specific IgE in response to exposure to common environmental allergens such as pollens, animal dander or food. Atopy can also be defined as the presence of certain conditions such as eczema, asthma, hay fever or food allergy. |
Eczema | The umbrella term for a local inflammation of the skin should be dermatitis. What is generally known as “atopic eczema/dermatitis” is not one, single disease but rather an aggregation of several diseases with certain characteristics in common. A more appropriate term is eczema. The subgroup related to allergic asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, i.e. eczema in a person of the atopic constitution, should be called atopic eczema. Close contact with low molecular–weight chemicals may provoke a predominantly TH1 lymphocyte mediated allergic contact dermatitis. The non-allergic variety can also be described by terms like irritant/toxic contact dermatitis. |
Food allergy | An immune-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to food divided into IgE (immediate onset) and non IgE mediated (delayed onset) reactions. |
Intolerance | A reaction to certain food ingredients or food additives. |
RAST | This term no longer used. It refers to obsolete technology. The correct term is serum specific IgE testing. |
Rhinitis | Inflammation of the nasal mucosa may be allergic or non-allergic. Referred to rhinoconjunctivitis when also involving conjunctiva. Characterised by 4 cardinal clinical features: Nasal discharge, blockage itch and sneezing. |
Urticaria | Urticaria is characterized by the sudden appearance of wheals and/or angioedema. A wheal consists of three typical features: 1. A central swelling of variable size, almost invariably surrounded by a reflex erythema 2. Associated itching or, sometimes, burning sensation 3. A fleeting nature, with the skin returning to its normal appearance usually within 1–24 hrs |
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