I was that kid in elementary school who ate at the peanut free table. How embarrassing, I know. Jokes aside, food allergies can be very dangerous and are very common. Studies show that food allergies affect millions of people globally, and I am one of them.
The causes of the development of food allergies is complex, but genetics plays a significant role in combination with environmental and immunological factors. Mutations of the genes encoding for certain proteins are found to play a significant role in the development of such allergies. One of these proteins is called filaggrin, which plays a role in maintaining the integrity of the skin barrier. Another one of these proteins is called IL-4, which is a chemical messenger (cytokine) that tells T cells to differentiate into a helper cell called TH2. This type of cell plays a significant role in the allergic response. Lastly, specific variants of HLA (human leukocyte antigen) are associated with increased rates of food allergies. HLAs are complexes that T cells use to bind to an antigen, ultimately creating an appropriate immune response in most cases.
Some environmental factors that may predispose someone to food allergies are directly correlated to ethical issues. For example, the prevalence of food allergies is decreased among minorities due to early-life microbial exposure, air pollution, ingestion of microplastics, and exposure to pollen. This difference between social groups raises the question of how prevalence of food allergies can be an indicator of safe living environments.
Food allergies can cause a range of symptoms. One type of food allergy that is mediated by the antibody called IgE tends to cause localized symptoms of the lips, mouth, throat, and tongue. These symptoms can include itching, swelling, and tingling. Interestingly, when the allergen is cooked, people tend to not have as strong of a reaction if any due to the proteins being denatured. However, disclaimer, it is always smart to check with a doctor about ingesting allergens. The other type of food allergy is not mediated by IgE. The symptoms of this kind of food allergy tend to be associated with more gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. This kind of allergic response is also more prone to the development of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening systemic allergic reaction.
While I was not a fan of the peanut-free table as a kid, these designated tables help to prevent kids who may not yet have learned to manage their allergies safely from developing the serious response of anaphylaxis. Therefore, I’ll admit they’re pretty important.
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