Saturday 4 July 2009

Food Intolerance including Food Allergy Research Programme (T07)

The Food Intolerance Research Programme aims to investigate the causes and mechanisms underlying food intolerance, including food allergy. The work has in recent years focused on severe food allergy, in particular peanut allergy, and a major aim is to identify risk factors associated with the development of food allergy so that appropriate information can be provided for consumers.

Aims
Abstract
Rationale
Contact for further information
List of projects

Aims

The Food Intolerance research programme was established in 1994 and the current objectives are:

To identify the risk factors (e.g. genetic, environmental, dietary and other risk factors) associated with the development of sensitisation to food proteins and the development of clinical food allergy, particularly in the early life stages of the individual. Knowledge of these factors and how they influence the development of sensitisation and allergy will enable us to develop appropriate advice for consumers to reduce the risk of development of food allergy.
To investigate the immunological mechanisms of food allergy to understand, at the immunological level, what factors are important in determining/regulating the allergic versus tolerant status.
To determine the prevalence of food allergy (both total food allergy and the prevalence of allergy to individual foods) in the UK in infants, children and adults, and whether prevalence is changing over time.
To develop the best research approach and methods to investigate whether there is any association between intolerance to certain foods and children’s behaviour.
To develop suitable methods for the detection of allergens in food.
To determine what factors influence the severity of allergic reactions to foods.

Abstract

This programme of research will provide information about the fundamental basis of factors that influence the development of food allergy. This will be of use in:

providing advice to food allergic and food intolerant consumers and to the general public;
providing information on food allergy an intolerance to the healthcare profession and the food and catering industries;
determining the prevalence of food allergy and any change with time; and
developing methods for detecting allergens in food.

Rationale

The number of individuals suffering from allergic reactions to food appears to be increasing in line with a general increase in allergy in the UK, such as asthma and eczema.
As many as one in 70 UK children may now react to peanuts; indeed, peanut allergy is the most common cause of severe (fatal and near fatal) allergic reaction to foods, causing 30% of all cases of anaphylaxis outside the hospital. The Food Standards Agency carries out work on food allergy in order to find out more about how it develops.

Contact for further information

Name : Joelle Buck
Tel : 020 276 8516
Email : joelle.buck@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

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Food Intolerance including Food Allergy Research Programme (T07)

Aims

Abstract

Rationale

Contact for further information

List of projects

T07 Programme Review 2003

T07 Programme Review 2008

T07 Project details

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