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Food Safety: Food Allergies & Intolerances

Food Allergies & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
• “Mission: To raise public awareness to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis”
• Provides information on food allergy issues, including food-specific allergies, food allergies in school and camp situations, “info sheets,” resources for children
• Intended audiences: “families, dietitians, nurses, physicians, school staff, representatives from government agencies, and the food and pharmaceutical industries”
• Links to sites for allergy societies, medical/healthcare societies, patient education organizations, government agencies, professional associations/organizations, research funding
• Free “Allergy Alerts” e-mails
• Searchable
• Sections of the site are available in Spanish
• Includes information on FAAN’s initiatives, programs, publications, events, membership
• Outstanding; this is one of the best, most comprehensive sites devoted to food allergy issues; for those who want to be involved, in addition to being informed

Food Allergies: Rare But Risky
• Maintained by the FDA’s Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
• This essay explains the differences between food allergies (which attack the body’s immune system) and less dangerous (but still quite unpleasant) food intolerances (which are much more common and cause adverse reactions with the body’s metabolic system)
• Discusses the role of common food additives (aspartame, monosodium glutamate, sulfites), in regards to allergies/intolerances
• Traces the development of research on these issues in recent years
• Updated December 2004
• Excellent; provides a clear explanation of the difference between these two food-related health issues, often confusing to the general public

Food Allergies: Speak Up While Dining Out
• Maintained by the Mayo Clinic, one of the most respected institutions in the field of healthcare
• Brief guide for consumer awareness on allergy/intolerance-related issues encountered when dining out
• Lists suggested practices/procedures for a safe dining experience, including information on buffets, baked goods, cross-contamination of food, additional relevant advice
• Best feature is information on using a “chef card … a personalized card that instructs the chef and other restaurant personnel on simple ways to make sure your food doesn’t contain your allergen”
• This is a short guide, but it contains excellent advice on dealing with food allergies/intolerances from a consumer’s/customer’s perspective

Food-Allergy Awareness
• Archived article on the National Restaurant Association’s website; originally published in the January 2002 issue of Restaurants USA
• Consists of advice on coping with food allergy/intolerance situations which may occur in restaurant or foodservice settings; discusses food preparation suggestions and emergency procedures for dealing with crisis situations
• This brief, but excellent, guide highlights many of the primary issues concerned with food allergies/intolerances in commercial food operations

Resource List on Food Allergies and Intolerances
• Maintained by the Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)
• “A compilation of resources on food allergies and intolerances for the consumer”
• “General Information on Food Allergies” highlights 35 resources (primarily from the federal government, professional associations/organizations) for the following: articles/pamphlets, audiovisual resources, books, resources for children, cookbooks, “web resources”
• “Specific Allergies and Intolerances” links to information on eggs, fish/shellfish, milk/lactose intolerance, peanuts, soy, sulfites, wheat/gluten
• Each resource includes contact information and a brief but incisive annotation
• Not extensive, but an excellent place for an introduction to “the basics;” resources for children are especially useful

Understanding Food Allergy and Intolerances
• Maintained by Dr. Adrian Morris, Surrey Allergy Clinic (UK)
• This guide to “suspected” food allergies explains the medical aspects of how allergies develop, the “mechanisms” involved in producing allergic reactions to food and discusses symptoms for a variety of problematic foods
• Includes an examination of food allergies as they apply to children, a list of “potential allergenic food ingredients” as recognized by the European Union (EU), and procedures for avoiding potential problems
• Links to related information (anaphylaxis, food allergy testing, food additives) available on the site
• Excellent; provides information which should be of use to the layman (with occasional lapses into medical jargon); particularly useful for its discussion of the effects of food allergies/intolerances on children

Websites presented on this page are for informational purposes only. Johnson & Wales University Library is not responsible for the accuracy, content or stability of any websites linked to this page. When in need of food safety advice, consult a medical, nutritional or foodservice professional.

Compiled by Rick Keogh, 8/05; links last checked 3/06

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