Although we know that allergies existed, our understanding of allergies today is different. 

We know that allergies are immune system reactions to the food protein. Although there is no definite cure to food allergies found yet, in the past decade progress has been made in medical research and there is improvement in many social aspects, making life easier for people with food allergies. 

A brief history of allergies 

More than 150 years ago, Charles Harrison Blackley was curious to know what caused the so-called hay fever. While experimenting on himself he discovered that pollen caused him seasonal sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose. 

In 1905 Clemens von Pirquet, a pediatrician from Austria discovered that patients vaccinated for smallpox using horse serum reacted quickly and severely to a second dose and that was just a way of the immune system producing antibodies to fight antigen (foreign substances contained in the serum). Thus, he invented the term allergy.

Over time it was proposed that this immune system reaction is causing hay fever, asthma, some skin diseases, and even severe anaphylaxis.

After WWII, the term allergy was being applied not only to immune system reactions to food, but also to synthetic chemicals and cosmetics. Meanwhile production of the first anti-allergy products was growing. 

In 1967, researchers identified immunoglobulin E (IgE). This is  the antibody responsible for most allergic reactions. When someone is exposed to an antigen, peanuts for example, their body produces a specific IgE antibody in a process called sensitization.  Until a person consumes the food they are allergic to, IgE remains inactive. 

After that blood allergy tests and the EpiPen were discovered. 

Today the number of people allergic to food is growing 

According to National Geographic, 2.5% of the world’s population suffers from a food allergy. Allergies represent the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the USA, costing around $18 billion a year. 

Here are some food allergy stats by country: 

• 32 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.6 million children under age 18. The most common food allergy is shellfish (8.2 million)

• More than 3 million Canadians self-report having at least one food allergy. Almost 500,000 Canadian children under 18 years have food allergies. 

• According to Statista, 5% of the Mexican population that suffers from food allergy are allergic to peanuts. 

• Study conducted by the Environmental Medicine Commission of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimates a  prevalence of food allergies in adults in Germany at 4.7%.

• In France the prevalence of food allergies is estimated at 3.24%.

• It is estimated that in the UK, 2 million people are living with a diagnosed food allergy.

• In Ireland, statistics show that approximately 5% of children and 3% of adults actually suffer from food allergies.

• Food allergy occurs in around 10% of infants, 4-8% of children, and about 2% of adults in Australia and New Zealand. The most common food allergens are cow’s milk (dairy), egg, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, soy, fish, shellfish and wheat.

Why are allergies growing worldwide? 

The increase of food allergies during the past 30 years is becoming an alarming concern. Yes, the world is becoming more aware of the existence and risk of food allergies, and we are becoming better at diagnosing them, however there is no simple explanation why people are becoming more allergic to food. 

Some of the elements causing the increase of allergies to food worldwide may include pollution, dietary changes and less exposure to microbes, which change the way our immune systems respond.

Cure 

Although there is much progress in the field of allergy research and medicine, there is still no definite cure for food allergies. People with allergies are generally advised to be well informed, to read food labels and to avoid consuming the food they are allergic to. 

It is quite positive that in the last few years, new allergen free and allergen careful brands have been emerging thus improving the quality of life for people with food allergies and making it easier for them to enjoy social aspects such as traveling and eating outside in a restaurant. 

For more information about food allergies we advise you to consult with a local allergist. 

The 14 most common foods that are known to cause allergies in Europe are celery, gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites. In North America, tree nuts cannot be exempt from that list.

So far there is not only one cause known to be responsible for the growth of allergies worldwide. Medical experts consider a mix of factors such as pollution, dietary changes and less exposure to microbes, which change the way our immune systems respond to causing the rise of food allergies. 

While we have yet to find a cure for peanut allergies, the good news is that there are new innovations in food allergies that are making the quality of life for people with allergies a little bit better. 

Food Allergen Detection Device 

More positivity in the field of food allergies, aiming to keep people with allergies safe are food sensors- detecting whether your food contains allergens. One of these revolutionary products is Nima Sensor.

Nima Sensor is a practical solution for people with allergies that love to travel and visit restaurants. Unfortunately, many restaurants do not understand the severity of allergies and sometimes can unintentionally serve food that has in near contact to the food known to cause allergies. Although this technology is not perfect and has certain limitations (such as testing peanut contained in alcohol) it is a step in the right direction. 

“I have yet to try one of these myself. My questions are around cross-contamination however for my celiac little sister, Hyped Up Harvest, these seem like an absolutely perfect fit.”

Jennifer, Her Allergic Travels
Anaphylactic to Peanuts & Tree Nuts

Early-age Food Allergy Treatments 

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, an estimated 4-6% of children have some sort of food allergy. Recent studies have shown that early introduction to peanuts and nuts can possibly prevent future food allergies, thus making early introduction for allergen food from an early- age, even infant, potentially very important. 

Luckily medicine has made progress. New products such as Aralyte and Hello, Peanut, that can even be mixed with formula and inserted into a baby’s diet as early as 4-5 months old.  

“This has continued to be a controversial point because this is not proven to be the case for everyone, and exposure to a food allergen does generate a very different response depending on how allergic you are. I personally am still told, probably once a month, by someone (other than my allergist) that “they say if you have peanuts in small doses it actually can improve.” Not if you’re me. I am far too allergic for which my allergist, unfortunately, agrees. It’s extremely important to get your information from professional sources. They have the latest information the tools to test you before trying a DIY immunotherapy treatment.”

Jennifer, Her Allergic Travels
Anaphylactic to Peanuts & Tree Nuts

New alternatives to EpiPen

EpiPen is known as the most common and standard option for people who experience a life-threatening allergic reaction – anaphylaxis. And it is also quite pricey. Reaching even  600 USD per purchase depending on the country. 

During the last several years, new alternatives to EpiPen such as Emerade, Adrenaclick and Symjepi have emerged, some of which are at a more affordable price range. 

“The premium of this household brand used to come with a certain the comfort of quality, but with an Epipen’s needle length put into question following a recent tragedy, in addition to the frequent shortages we’re having (here in Canada at least) I currently am carrying only have one Epipen, Allerject and Emerade.”

Jennifer, Her Allergic Travels
Anaphylactic to Peanuts & Tree Nuts

New Treatments

So far there is no cure for food allergies. On the positive note, new treatments have emerged which can improve the quality of life for people with allergies. If your severity is low enough, you may be eligible for Oral Immunotherapy or a “food challenge”

Oral Immunotherapy includes feeding a patient with small doses of the allergen food under medical supervision. This type of therapy does not cure food allergy, but it makes patients tolerant to small doses of the food protein causing the food allergy. These treatments are still in the development stages, but they are bringing a positive outlook for the quality of life of people with allergies. 

“I actually had a severe allergic reaction 10 years after doing my food challenge for tree nuts. I no longer can eat them and am told by my allergist that my scenario is a common one: 10 years ago no one was telling patients they had to keep eating the allergen in small doses after the challenge was complete. It is, quite tragically, for that reason that I ate Nutella (hazelnut) at breakfast last year, however, am now told to avoid all tree nuts thanks to an Almond later that night”

Jennifer, Her Allergic Travels
Anaphylactic to Peanuts & Tree Nuts

Allergen Sniffing Dogs 

Yes! Organizations training dogs to detect allergen food that exist in the world. For example, a dog is being trained to detect peanuts. Once the dog scents peanuts it will sit as an alert that the allergen is present nearby. 

Hopefully, all this is making you feel positive about the future. For more information about allergies, we advise you to consult with a local allergist.

Unfortunately, the number of people allergic to food is growing by the day. According to data by The Food Allergy Organization approximately 32 million people have some sort of a food allergy in the USA alone.  It is also estimated that at least two children in one classroom are likely to be allergic to some food. 

More than 170 foods are reported to cause allergy, with eight being most common: milk, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, fish. In some cases they cause severe allergic reactions called anaphylaxis. 

Food allergies have been increasing constantly for the last 30 years. With no link to only one factor, some of the elements causing the increase of allergies to food worldwide may include pollution, dietary changes and less exposure to microbes, which change the way our immune systems respond.

Common food allergies and food families 

The most common allergies in adults are: peanuts, tree nuts, milk and shellfish . Although some allergies can be outgrown, for the previously mentioned food allergies it is generally considered that they cannot be outgrown. 

Because different foods belong to different food families it is quite possible for one person, allergic to one member of a certain food family to be allergic to other members of the same food family as well. This is called cross- reactivity. The food proteins are similar and the body recognises the protein of the food you are allergic to when you are consuming food from the same food family, thus causing an allergic reaction. 

For example: Peanuts belong to the pea family. Beans, soybeans, black-eyed peas, licorice and tragacanth also belong to the same food family. Thus, people allergic to peanuts in some cases may also be allergic to beans and peas, but not necessarily allergic to other nuts. Because they are not related. Another example is with people allergic to potatoes. They may also be allergic to tomatoes, but not to sweet potatoes, because sweet potatoes do not belong to any food family. 

According to some studies there is a 90% risk that a person allergic to cow milk will also have allergic symptoms when consuming goat and sheep milk. The risk is much lower (5%) for mare’s milk. 

Because the protein is the same, during an allergies blood test, the allergy may be recognised because your immune system will recognise the protein, but you may actually be able to tolerate consuming that food. For example studies have shown that 50% of people allergic to peanuts will be allergic to other legumes as well, but 95% of them can tolerate and eat the cross-reactive legumes. 

Individual reactions to foods from the same family vary therefore one must always consult with an allergist. 

Below we are adding a list of food families. If you or any of your loved ones  are sensitive to one food, be careful with all related foods. 

Although there are new modern approaches to the treatment of food allergies, most medical experts on food allergy recommend avoiding the foods you are allergic to and always being prepared in case you suffer from anaphylaxis. 

Although it is not a significant improvement of life for people with allergies, being well informed and reading the labels of the products is important to make yourself and your close ones feel safer. 

If you want to learn more about food allergies we advise you to reach out to local allergists.

In recent years we have stopped checking bags, and instead, using up our full carry-on allowance. One of these bags is dedicated to food, EpiPens, and clean plastic cutlery.

The Dedicated Food Allergy Bag

• Safe snacks which I have eaten before- this is especially essential in light of a recent airline allergy fatality. 
  • Noodle Bowls
  • Granola & Fruit Bars 
  • Instant Oatmeal
  • Mars Bars
  • Homemade cookies and 
  • Cheese
  • The “legal limit” of liquid Boost
  • My own thermos for oatmeal etc
  • Plastic Cutlery  (essential if backpacking in Asia with a peanut allergy)
• Medical Necessities
  • Epipens, Epipens and more epipens 
  • Expired EpiPens (Labelled “USE LAST” and bundled together)
  • Asthma medicines (having your asthma under control is key)
  • Benadryl 
  • Reactine 
• Water bottles and beverages (purchased in the gate) 
• Wet wipes (which do not remove allergens however I wipe down the seat, armrest and tray regardless

The Peanut-Free Backpack:

My backpack is where I keep clothes, most toiletries and generally anything not needed during the flight. I use “stuff sacks” for quick and easy packing.

The Purse or Laptop Bag

My purse becomes home to dry items and electronics:

• Chargers
• Tablets
• Passport

I have modified my procedure as I’ve found myself in unsafe situations such as being surrounded by cross-contaminated items and door handles preflight in the Toronto Pearson and Gatwick Lounges, and hearing about the tragedy of 15-year old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s who devastatingly lost her life following a British Airways flight from Heathrow to France.

We first learned what had happened on a layover in London Gatwick, after 14 hours of travel without food, and deciding to hazard a safe meal at Jamie Oliver’s Restaurant, being that we were only 1.5 hours from our destination and flying over land, with many airports in the event of an absolute emergency. It was then we learned what had happened to Natasha from our server, and how everything from the food manufacturer, to the airline, flight staff, and the airport in Nice entirely failed this poor young girl traveling with her father.

This information and additional awareness has been updated in Natasha’s memory.

Also, the number of new brands that are offering plant-based food has grown recently making people who are curious about tasting new food go part-time vegan. 

Sadly, for people with peanut allergies, which is 1 in 50 children and 1 in every 200 adults, switching to a plant-based diet is even more challenging. But, not impossible. 

We asked our team’s expert and committed vegan, Sofi, for her advice:

So here are some quick “entry-level” vegan meals that are easy to prepare and very delicious. Most importantly, they do not contain peanuts, soy or legumes. 

Vegan Pizza

Honestly sometimes I go with the flow. I find a recipe that is not typically known as plant-based and I veganize it. That is how I started making yummy vegan pizza for myself. 

You will need: 

• Vegan Cheese – While there are many cashew vegan cheese, mine is typically made from coconut and other extracts. There are different brands of vegan cheese, you can choose the best fit for you. 

• Tomatoes 

• Olives 

• Mushrooms 

• Origano 

• Ready pizza dough (if you do not have time to make the dough by yourself) 

Pit the ingredients on the pizza dough in the following order: cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and add in origano at the end. Add the quantity of ingredients you find suitable for the people to whom you want to serve delicious vegan pizza. Bake for 15 -20 minutes at 250 degrees. 

Quinoa with vegetables 

This is also a very simple  and tasty recipe. You will need: 

• Quinoa – I usually put around 100 grams for 2 meals. Therefore I recommend you measure 50grams per serving. 

• Zucchini – 2 small ones (for 2 servings)

• Potatoes – 3 small ones (for 2 servings)

• Onion – 1 is enough for rich flavor

• And my favorite – Origano 

• 2 tablespoons of oil (any kind you use) 

Wash the vegetables and cut them in small circles. Oil the baking pot and start laying out the ingredients in the following order: first the potatoes, second the quinoa seed, third the zucchini and last the onion circles. Add in the origano and bake for 25-30 minutes at 250 degrees. 

Pasta with vegan cheese and broccoli 

Again. A very simple everyday recipe that can be -veganized. 

For this one you will need: 

• Vegan pasta – I usually use 100g per serving 

• Vegan cheese – as mentioned previously – most of them are made by coconut oil and extracts therefore feel free to choose any brand that suits you. I usually put 30-50 grams per serving. 

• Fresh broccoli – 200 grams per serving. 

• 0.5 tablespoon oil (any kind) 

• 2 tsp salt 

• And… you guessed it -origano. 

Follow these steps. Boil the pasta like you usually do with 1 teaspoon of salt and 0.5 tablespoon of oil. Meanwhile, boil the fresh broccoli with 1 teaspoon of salt. Once the pasta and the broccoli are cooked, put them in an eating bowl. Cut the cheese into small pieces of dice. Add in the origano and mix the ingredients. 

For extra taste you can add in a tomato sauce. 

My tips is to experiment with taste within your range of possibilities. Google a famous recipe and try to make it suit your lifestyle. With time you will learn and you will make it a routine. 

I hope you will have an enjoyable time cooking and tasting new food. 

Bon Appetit! 

Bali was one of those lucky countries which has not yet been hit with an influx of severe food allergies and the most common response we received after sharing my note (which include “I will die” twice) locals confirmed their understanding that the translation of the word allergy by nodding in acknowledgment and making a scratching motion to confirm my note meant “you will itch”. This is where my fiance developed an adorable and embarrassing habit of acting out the international choking symbol. Effective (although probably not still necessary in Canada….)

When we spent time with our bilingual, very fluent host he explained that peanut allergies, and food allergies in general were not at all typical in Bali, and that he and his colleagues had only heard of a milk allergy.

That in mind, and after having met a girl with a milder allergy and several reactions, I clung to my bag full of the quickly depleting Milo bars I had brought from Australia, I recorded several items I ate in Bali with a peanut allergy. Keeping in mind I was 5’4″ 110 lbs I would recommed ordering the same safe meal in triple the quanitity.

Day One:

• Milo milk
• Milo bar
• Nachos from Mexican place (Holy Guacamole -Kuta) 
• Pringles
• Half block of cheese from an Indomart
• Watermelon… jack-o-lantern style (this is another example of where those camping untensils come in handy)

Day Two:

• Other half block of cheese
• Milo bar
• 2 oranges
• Pica South American Kitchen (Parm scallops and empanadas)

Day Three:

• Soft Boiled eggs and toast at our Bungalow in Ubud
• Fruit
• Cool coffees and tea
• Milo bar
• Young coconut & meat
• Barcelona Tapas (potato tot things, garlic prawns and seafood paella)
• Frozen yogurt  

Day Four:

• Elephant park* buffet (scrambled eggs, and about 7 crescent rolls)
• Mamma Mia’s Italian Ubud (ravioli)
• Bintang Beer
  *never go there….

Day Five:

• Banana Crepe
• Shin bowl instant noodles
• Toro Sushi Ubud (very familiar with peanut allergies.. Miso soup and soy sauce was potentially not safe)

Day Six:

• Boiled eggs and toast
• Milo bar
• Corn on the cob
• Gloria Jean’s fettuccini (Canggu)
• Fabulous Greek salad (BOBs bistro)

Day Seven:

• Surf Café (Kuta) (onion rings quesadilla)
• Capil Beach Grill & Bar in Seminyak  We had pizza and 10 rip-off nachos at this pricy joint. Do not plan a trip to Asia with a Peanut allergy and not expect to pay a premium for food – regrettably, no street vendors or mom and pop stops are part of this cultural experience

Day Eight:

• Fran’s Bread rolls (brand)
• Dutch cookies
• Roasted Corn (sold on the beaches)
• Susheria 

The NEW Problem with Eating Cheese for Nut Allergies.

This used to be my go-to travel solution. I went to Bali with the backup plan of buying cheese at grocery stores for survival, naively not considering this might have been a nation still relying on daily food markets rather than supermarkets and refrigeration.

Due to the many new Vegan Cheeses on the market, it is no longer safe to simply opt for a block which you do not recognize.

The Flight

Cheese from a indomart in Kuta. I had Mcdonald’s in Dubai which is something I would never do now — it was safe and I had always wanted to try any international Maccas but it was unwise to eat anything unknown before a transatlantic flight

EDIT: In recent years I’ve found it unwise to eat anything I didn’t pack from home after leaving my house and until well after I land.