What are Food Allergies?
Food Allergy eTraining Slide 4

A food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by the body’s immune system.

No food allergy symptoms occur on the first time a person is exposed to the food.

First exposure primes the body to respond the next time and an allergic response occurs upon following exposure. First exposure does not necessarily mean the first time an individual eats or tries a certain food. It can also occur by touching a food allergen directly, using or eating other products with the food allergen, or touching someone or being touched by someone who they themselves just directly touched the food allergen.

 

 

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