Food Allergy News and Research

Have you had trouble reading USDA food labels for top 8 allergens (milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish)? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Inspection Service regulates meat, poultry, processed egg products and certain foods that contain these products. AAFA needs your story about the challenges of reading these labels to submit to the USDA to prove the need for clearer allergen labeling for the top 8 allergens.

Have you had issues with undeclared sesame or sesame hiding in foods? We need your story to submit to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prove the need for allergen labeling for sesame in the U.S. Send us your examples of the following to advocacy@aafa.org . Foods with undeclared sesame - these are foods where a) “sesame” is not listed in the ingredients, and b) you confirmed separately that there is sesame in the product. Food labels where sesame is listed in the ingredients under an...

As more children are diagnosed with food allergies, we hear more stories of food allergy bullying. One way to prevent food allergy bullying is to help people have a better understanding of food allergies.

We have heard from members in our community that many are having trouble filling prescriptions for three of the four types of epinephrine auto-injectors: EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® (distributed by Mylan) The authorized generic of EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® (distributed by Mylan) Epinephrine injection, USP auto-injector, the authorized generic of Adrenaclick® (distributed by Impax) This is due to possible shortages at pharmacies. Kids With Food Allergies has confirmed there is no shortage of the drug...

Kaléo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, today announced that AUVI-q® (epinephrine injection, USP) 0.1 mg will be available nationwide by prescription beginning May 1, 2018. AUVI-q 0.1 mg is indicated for the treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in infants and toddlers weighing 16.5 to 33 pounds (7.5 to 15 kilograms).

Earlier this year, Sony Pictures Entertainment released the movie "Peter Rabbit." In the movie, a character with a food allergy is intentionally targeted. Other characters attack him with the food he is allergic to which causes anaphylaxis.

Kaléo recently announced that they changed the hold time of their AUVI-Q epinephrine auto-injectors. They changed the time from 5 seconds to 2 seconds.

INSYS Therapeutics, Inc., announced today that it has started a proof-of-concept study of two formulations of epinephrine nasal spray for the treatment of anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reaction, with the enrollment of the first patient.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) released a report called Childhood Allergies in America. The study showed that allergy rates among children increased from 2010 to 2016. The study looked at about 9.6 million U.S. with health insurance, ages 18 and younger. It found that 18 percent of these children have allergies. They looked at anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction), dermatitis (inflamed skin or skin rash) and rhinitis (runny, stuffy nose).

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a treatment that could potentially help peanut allergic patients achieve desensitization, but some patients are unable to tolerate maintenance doses that are large enough to facilitate unlimited peanut consumption.

Research being presented at the 2018 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and World Allergy Organization (WAO) Joint Congress suggests that folic acid exposure in utero could have an effect on whether children develop food allergy.

AllergyEats, a popular guide to allergy-friendly restaurants, has announced its 2018 choices for the Top 10 Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains.