EWA DANIÉL
Toxicologist and co. founder, AllergyCertified

Abstract

Having an allergic reaction to food can be a very bad experience and we often see that that people with food allergy to ex. Almonds tend to avoid almonds in all kind of products because they are scared of having an allergic reaction. But food allergy and contact dermatitis/ skin allergy are two totally different kinds of allergy, and most people with food allergy to nuts will thus be able to use ingredients from the nut family in their cosmetics products without having allergic reaction.

Food allergy and skin allergy (contact dermatitis) are two different types of allergies.

Food allergy is what we call type 1 allergy and skin allergy is a type 4 allergy. The reaction and the ingredients that we react to are different. 

FOOD ALLERGY

Allergy to food is an immune system reaction that occurs after eating certain foods. 

For example, when you are allergic to almonds you react to the proteins in the almonds after you have eaten them, because your immune system mistakenly identifies the almonds as harmful. And thus, your immune system triggers cells to release an antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) to neutralize the allergen (in this case the almonds).

Food allergy is hereditary meaning that if your parents or siblings are allergic there is a bigger risk of developing allergy to food. 

Food allergy is not necessarily chronic meaning that for example children with allergy to for example milk can grow out of it.

The reaction is immediate and will typically happen from minutes up to two hours after you have eaten the almonds. The symptoms ...