A food allergy is a condition where exposure to certain proteins in food induces an abnormal and harmful immune reaction.
More than 170 foods have been identified as allergenic, but the eight major allergens that are responsible for around 90% of severe reactions are milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
The prevalence of peanut or tree nut allergy also increased three-fold between 1997 and 2008, and between the late 1990s and mid-2000s, childhood hospitalization as a result of allergy also increased three-fold.
Allergy Therapeutics plc (LON:AGY) is a market-leading, pioneering immunology business with specialist experience in the research and development of allergy treatments.