Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and soy represent 90% of all food allergies in the US and must be clearly labeled on food packaging. Although sesame is not currently listed as a food allergen, enough people in the US react to sesame to have created a movement to make it required on food labels.
Food allergies occur when there is a negative response to a food protein. When someone eats a food they are allergic to, the body responds by attacking the protein. This attack can result in mild symptoms like an itchy throat or hives. In some cases, however, the symptoms are severe including throat swelling, difficulty breathing, and anaphylaxis, which is a cascade of serious symptoms that can lead to death.
In January, 2020, the FDA approved Palforzia, the first drug to reduce the severity of allergic reactions to peanuts. Those who take Palforzia must still continue to avoid peanuts.
Based on research the American Academy of Pediatrics has suggested early introduction of peanut-containing food, in forms that are not a choking hazard, to prevent the development of peanut allergy in at-risk infants. With early introduction, in some cases, there was an 86% reduction in peanut allergies compared to 5-year olds who avoided all foods containing peanuts.
