[Food allergy and other adverse reactions caused by food]

Abstract

Adverse reactions to foods are not infrequent. They may be mediated by immunological mechanisms (food allergy) or non-immunologically (idiosyncrasy, pseudo-allergy, intolerance). Furthermore toxic effects of foods have to be clearly distinguished from food allergy as well as poorly defined conditions such as hyperkinesis or "tension-fatigue syndrome", the causal relation of which to foods is not well established. The diagnosis of food allergy includes convincing history, positive provocation and demonstration of immunological sensitization (mostly IgE, however other types of immune reactions may also be of importance. In the treatment of food allergy specific elimination diets as well as pharmacotherapy with the use of mast cell blocking agents are recommended. In single cases oral hyposensitization may be tried.