The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published the Patterns and Prevalence of Food Allergies in Adults (PAFA) report, a large-scale study of the prevalence of food allergies in the UK adult population, carried out by partners including the University of Manchester. Announced.
The PAFA Project found that more than 30% of adults report living with food sensitivity symptoms. Food sensitivity is a term used to describe unpleasant reactions that occur as a result of consuming certain foods. There are many different types of food sensitivities, including food allergies, food intolerances, and celiac disease. We investigated this further through clinical assessment and found that approximately 6% of the UK adult population is estimated to have a clinically confirmed food allergy. This equates to around 2.4 million UK adults.
The research also found that adults in the UK:
Foods such as peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and tree nuts such as almonds are most likely to cause allergic reactions. Many people were also allergic to raw fruits such as apples, peaches, and kiwifruit. These were associated with an allergy to birch pollen, also known as pollen food allergy syndrome or oral allergy syndrome. Allergies to foods such as milk, fish, shrimp, and mussels were rare. Childhood food allergies persist into early adulthood and increase further thereafter, with approximately half of food allergies developing in adulthood or later.
Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency, said:
“The PAFA report is important in identifying how food allergies change from childhood to adulthood, and also in identifying the association between specific types of foods and the persistence of allergies into adulthood. It also provides important insights about sexuality.
“Through this research, we are finding that patterns such as the emergence of plant-based allergies affect more and more people into adulthood, and we have seen food systems shift towards plant-based diets and alternative proteins. It's important to consider this.
“The FSA continues to work to ensure that consumers have clear and accurate allergen labeling to support people in the UK living with food allergies. This will guide future efforts regarding allergens to ensure enjoyment.”
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