Socio-economic issues associated with food allergy

Abstract

Food allergies affect a substantial proportion of the population, with prevalence estimates ranging from 1% to 11% of the population suffering from some complaints. Dietary exclusion of allergenic foods, ingredients and derived products, if necessary, represents the primary risk management strategy at the present time. Given the potentially profound consequences of experiencing an allergic reaction, food allergy has the potential to negatively affect the socio-economic functioning of those food allergic patients, as well as their families. The results of research focused on the socio-economic impact of food allergy suggest that, whilst food allergy has the potential to have a profound impact on the well-being of consumers, not all food allergy management activities are equally preferred by food allergy sufferers. The introduction of novel hypoallergenic products produced using potentially controversial food technologies is not universally accepted by food allergic consumers. There is considerable consumer demand for accurate allergen labeling of food products. Questions arise as to whether current regulatory frameworks (for example, the General Food Law in Europe) are adequate in terms of optimizing consumer protection. Potential future areas of research will be discussed, in particular those where international collaboration is needed to attain the research objectives.