Types of Food Allergies | MyFoodAllergyTeam

Connect with others who understand.

sign up Log in
Resources
About MyFoodAllergyTeam
Powered By

Types of Food Allergies

Medically reviewed by Deborah Pedersen, M.D.
Written by Kelly Crumrin
Updated on October 19, 2021

In someone with a food allergy, the immune system has an inflammatory reaction whenever the person eats the allergenic food. Most food allergies present with classic patterns of symptoms. In some people, food allergies show up in specific forms that are a little different.

Food Allergy Types

Symptoms of food allergy can vary widely. Many people develop skin symptoms such as itching, rash, or hives. Others have respiratory symptoms such as asthma, sneezing, cough, and trouble breathing. Gastrointestinal symptoms including cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea are also common. Others experience anxiety, behavior changes, heart palpitations, dizziness, or many other reactions.

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction that can progess to a sudden drop in blood pressure, narrowing of the airways that makes it difficult to breathe, rash, and swelling. If untreated, anaphylaxis can be fatal. Learn more about food allergy symptoms.

These are the most common ways food allergies are experienced. Sometimes, food allergies cause other types of reactions that look a little different and have their own specific terms.

Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES)

FPIES is a serious allergic condition that causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and failure to thrive in small children just beginning to eat solid food. These symptoms usually begin hours after eating a food and can last for hours. The most common allergens that cause FPIES include:

  • Rice
  • Milk
  • Soy
  • Oats
  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Turkey

FPIES can become severe enough that it requires hospitalization due to dehydration. Strict avoidance of the food triggering FPIES is necessary to avoid symptoms.

Children commonly outgrow FPIES by age 3 or 4.

Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)

Also known as pollen-food allergy syndrome, OAS occurs in people with hay fever or seasonal allergies. Certain types of pollen have proteins in common with certain raw nuts, fruits, or vegetables. When the person eats the food with similar allergenic proteins, they experience itching and swelling which is typically limited to the mouth, tongue, throat, lips, and sometimes ears. Symptoms are usually fairly mild and do not require treatment. OAS is most likely to develop in older children or young adults. Typically, the food was eaten for years with no problems when OAS begins.

A few of the raw foods most likely to cause OAS include:

  • Apple
  • Almond
  • Banana
  • Carrot
  • Celery
  • Cucumber
  • Hazelnut
  • Melon
  • Orange
  • Peach
  • Pear
  • Plum
  • Tomato
  • Sunflower seed
  • Zucchini

People with OAS can typically eat the trigger foods with symptoms if they have been cooked. Cooking changes the proteins enough to avoid the reaction.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE)

In EOE, the esophagus — the tube you swallow food down that brings food to the stomach — becomes inflamed and may narrow, making it difficult to swallow hard or dry foods. Other symptoms can include vomiting and abdominal pain. Small children may refuse to eat. EOE can develop in people of any age. EOE can be caused by environmental allergies, but food allergies are the most common cause.

EOE is a complex and serious allergic disorder. EOE is chronic and can be difficult to treat. Identifying the foods that trigger EOE is difficult. Treatments include elimination diets, swallowed corticosteroids, and proton pump inhibitors (drugs to reduce the amount of stomach acid produced). In children with severe cases that do not respond to other treatments, an elemental diet may be recommended. In an elemental diet, all nutrition is received from a formula containing amino acids, sugars, and oils.

Condition Guide

Updated on October 19, 2021
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Become a Subscriber

Get the latest articles about food allergies sent to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Deborah Pedersen, M.D. has specialized in allergy and asthma care as well as pediatrics for over 16 years. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Learn more about her here
Kelly Crumrin is a senior editor at MyHealthTeam and leads the creation of content that educates and empowers people with chronic illnesses. Learn more about her here

Related Articles

The immune system is designed to defend against pathogens — foreign invaders like bacteria and vi...

What Does a Food Allergy Rash Look Like? Pictures and Treatments

The immune system is designed to defend against pathogens — foreign invaders like bacteria and vi...
If you have a food allergy, you may wonder about the likelihood of passing it on to your children...

Are Food Allergies Genetic? 4 Facts To Know

If you have a food allergy, you may wonder about the likelihood of passing it on to your children...
We’ve recently become more aware of peanut allergies, especially in schools. To keep children saf...

10 Things To Know About Peanut Allergies

We’ve recently become more aware of peanut allergies, especially in schools. To keep children saf...
Some children are genetically predisposed to develop related allergic conditions known as the ato...

Do Food Allergies Lead to Asthma? Understanding the Connection

Some children are genetically predisposed to develop related allergic conditions known as the ato...
Are you or your child experiencing persistent itching lately? Dealing with skin reactions can be ...

Food Allergies and Eczema: 3 Similarities and 3 Differences

Are you or your child experiencing persistent itching lately? Dealing with skin reactions can be ...
Many people confuse food allergies and food intolerance, and it is easy to do. Allergies and into...

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance: Are They One and the Same?

Many people confuse food allergies and food intolerance, and it is easy to do. Allergies and into...

Recent Articles

Welcome to MyFoodAllergyTeam — the place to connect with others living with food allergy. This v...

Getting Started on MyFoodAllergyTeam (VIDEO)

Welcome to MyFoodAllergyTeam — the place to connect with others living with food allergy. This v...
When your child has food allergies, every encounter where snacks, meals, or drinks are involved c...

8 Concerns Only a Food Allergy Parent Would Understand

When your child has food allergies, every encounter where snacks, meals, or drinks are involved c...
When you live with serious food allergies — or even severe intolerances — eating out can be a cha...

12 Tips for Eating Out Safely With Food Allergies

When you live with serious food allergies — or even severe intolerances — eating out can be a cha...
When a child has a serious food allergy, any symptom — including a fever — can be alarming. Food ...

Can Food Allergies Cause Fever? 5 Things To Know

When a child has a serious food allergy, any symptom — including a fever — can be alarming. Food ...
Many people with food allergies have an allergic reaction within a few minutes of eating a food a...

How Long Do Symptoms of a Food Allergy Reaction Last?

Many people with food allergies have an allergic reaction within a few minutes of eating a food a...
This is a short guided meditation by Dr. Christiane Wolf on self-kindness, which gives you more s...

Self-Kindness When Struggling: 6-Minute Guided Meditation

This is a short guided meditation by Dr. Christiane Wolf on self-kindness, which gives you more s...
MyFoodAllergyTeam My food allergies Team

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close
MyFoodAllergyTeam
Add to your home screen
MyFoodAllergyTeam Tap below and then 'Add to Home Screen'