Food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by the body's immune system. It refers to a particular type of response of the immune system in which the body produces what is called an allergic, or IgE, antibody to a food. (IgE, or immunoglobulin E, is a type of protein that works against a specific food.)
Allergic reactions to food can cause serious illness and, in some cases, death. Therefore, if you have a food allergy, it is extremely important for you to work with your health-care provider to find out what food or foods cause your allergic reaction.
Sometimes, a reaction to food is not an allergy at all but another type of reaction called "food intolerance."
Food intolerance is more common than food allergy. The immune system does not cause the symptoms of food intolerance, though these symptoms may look and feel like those of a food allergy. Among other causes, food intolerances may be to dairy or gluten, to food additives such as MSG, because of food poisoning or for psychological reasons.
Source: Remedy
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