Jessica Turner According to the ABS, four million people in Australia avoid a certain food type because of allergy or intolerance. In Europe, more than 17 million people suffer from food allergies.
Furthermore, eight percent of people suffering from food allergies are exposed to the risk of a severe reaction resulting in death.
Food allergy reactions appear to be on the rise: a seven-fold increase in hospital admissions for food anaphylaxis (anaphylaxis is defined as an acute allergic reaction to which the body has become hypersensitive) was reported in the UK and Australia over the last 10 years, among children aged 0–14 years.
From October 13-15, 1,200 international researchers, clinicians, allergists, pediatricians, gastroenterologists, food technologists, allied health professionals, policy makers and patient organisations gather in Rome for the 4th Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Meeting.
It’s a gathering organised by The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and an important one, indeed.
FAAM’s main ambition is managing the multi-faceted nature of the “epidemic” through a holistic approach, so the conference (inviting all stakeholders) is crucial.
The serious and life-threatening nature of food allergies and (their increasing prevalence) are major public health concern, and also have considerable economic implications.
The societal cost of food allergies is incurred directly via managing allergies (e.g. purchase of drugs, allergen-free foods, hospitalisation and specialist medical care), and indirectly (e.g. lost time from work or school, as well as the loss of productivity).
On the first day of the conference, delegates were provided with an updated implementation plan of the FAAM Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines, with a special focus on tools for primary care physicians.
“General practitioners are at the forefront of diagnosing and treating patients, and only by strengthening collaboration with these practitioners will we be able to ensure an improved earlier identification and treatment of patients suffering from food allergies and anaphylaxis,” says Professor Antonella Muraro, of EAACI and Chair of FAAM 2016.
A new proposal for regulating the “may contain” warnings on food will also be discussed—this will focus on how labels can be used in a transparent, evidence-based way to communicate the potential risk of an allergen, rather than being used in a defensive way.
In a similar fashion to Australian food labelling lesgislation, since December 2014, the EU Regulation No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers requires that allergenic ingredients are clearly stated on pre-packaged, loose and catered foods.
“Safety is of utmost importance for patients and parents and their quality of life can dramatically change depending on the final legal recommendations,” says Professor Munro.
* The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is a non-profit organisation active in the field of allergic and immunologic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, eczema, occupational allergy, food and drug allergy, and anaphylaxis. EAACI was founded in 1956 in Florence and has become the largest medical association in Europe in the field of allergy and clinical immunology. It includes over 9,300 members from 121 countries, as well as 54 National Allergy Societies. Over the past 60 years, EAACI has dedicated its resources to improving the health of people affected by allergic diseases and asthma. With experience and knowledge in allergy science, EAACI is the primary source of expertise in Europe and beyond for all aspects of allergic diseases and asthma.
