Food Allergy and Food Intolerance – New Developments

Abstract

It is crucial to accurately identify whether a patient's reaction to food is a result of a Food Allergy (FA) or Food Intolerance (FI), as this will determine the appropriate diagnosis and management plan. Medical practitioners should rely on verified diagnoses when discussing the prevalence of these conditions. Currently, obtaining a patient's clinical history, performing a skin prick test (SPT) or measuring serum specific IgE levels are typically the initial steps in diagnosing allergies. Additional methods, such as component-resolved diagnostics, basophil activation test (BAT) and oral food challenge (OFC) may be used, if available, to confirm the allergen causing symptoms when the results of first-line tests are equivocal or contradictory with history. Determining the prevalence of sensitization profiles to different allergens, considering geographical characteristics, is important for developing personalized therapeutic and preventive measures for children. Periodic reassessment of patients with FA through allergy tests and oral food challenges will allow for the possibility of reintroducing previously avoided foods if they develop tolerance over time and improve their quality of life.