New food intolerance information goes live

Tuesday 20 May 2003

Comprehensive new information on food intolerance, including food allergy, has launched today on the Food Standards Agency website.

The dedicated section is packed with information on 24 different types of food intolerance, from peanut and coconut allergy to lactose intolerance and coeliac disease.

Including explanations of what happens in the body when someone has an allergic reaction to food and advice on how to deal with a severe reaction, the section also looks at why people get food allergies. There is background information on the work the Agency is doing on food intolerance, plus a list of frequently asked questions.

The section also highlights some of the less well-known aspects of food allergy, such as oral allergy syndrome, which means eating certain foods causes itching or rashes on the mouth or lips.