Common Food Allergens

Food Allergies Are a Common and Serious Health Problem

• Approximately 327,000 New Jerseyans suffer from food allergies, including
  nearly 100,000 children.
• Physicians report an increase in the number of individuals in the U.S. with
  food allergies. The number of children with peanut allergy doubled between
  1997 and 2002.
• Food allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis (a sudden, severe, potentially fatal, systemic allergic reaction) outside the hospital setting, accounting for an estimated 30,000 emergency department visits, 2,000 hospitalization, and 200 deaths nationwide each year.

Any food can trigger an allergic reaction, though some foods cause the vast majority of negative reactions. Eight foods account for 90 percent of all food allergies: milk, shellfish, fish, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts (like walnuts and cashews), and eggs.

Latex and Food Allergies - Latex, from gloves worn by food service staff, may come into contact with food. For those with a latex allergy this may cause an allergic reaction when the food is eaten. Those with a latex allergy should ask that food preparers not wear latex gloves when preparing their meals.

Where are Common Food Allergens Hiding Out? A list of foods with common
food allergens.