Food Allergies Aside from Nut Allergies

Filed in archive Food Allergies on January 16, 2007

Sure peanuts ranks as the most common culprit for anaphylaxis due to food allergies. However, other food allergies can be just as troublesome, too, and therefore needs as much attention.

For example there are those with allergies to other nuts, like Anna at InkyCircus and her brother:

An estimated 1.1% of Americans are allergic to peanut and/or tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts etc). But just 0.3% are allergic to both - like ME! Of course then there are the weirdos like my brother, who can down a jar of peanut butter in 7 minutes but will blow up like a balloon at the first sight of a walnut.

Or those who have allergies to eggs. Or "less life threatening" (if there is such a word) allergies such as wheat allergies.

According to the FDA, the most common foods to cause allergies in adults are shrimp, lobster, crab, and other shellfish; peanuts (one of the chief foods responsible for severe anaphylaxis); walnuts and other tree nuts; fish; and eggs. So I wonder why the bulk of research and product development seems to be geared toward peanut allergies mainly?