Strange Food Allergy Symptoms

When people say that they have strange food allergy symptoms. They might as well be saying that they have food intolerance or sensitivity with certain foods. There is a big difference between a food allergy and food sensitivity. Food allergy involve a particular response of the immune system for the production of the body chemical histamine. However, food sensitivity is not an immunological condition. Meaning, the release of histamine is not triggered by antibodies.

Food intolerance is known to have temporary or transient symptoms, although they maybe similar to true food allergy signs. Such abnormal reactions to food and food elements are less severe, localized and short-lived. There many types of food intolerance. Metabolic food disorder is the most common one. It is a genetic condition, in which an individual is unable to metabolize or process food nutrients or components.

Such disorder includes lactose intolerance, favism, food idiosyncrasy and anaphylactoid response. Lactose intolerance is the failure of the digestive system to process the sugar in milk, particularly lactose. Favism is a hereditary deficiency. It is a sensitivity to a certain chemical in fava beans.

Food idiosyncrasy is an abnormal reaction to food and other food components. However, there is no apparent basis for the reaction. Its symptoms are often similar with true food allergy, but are very mild and less severe. Sulfite-induced asthma is an example. Sulfite is either inherent or added to the food. The substance can cause asthmatic reaction, which is not a immunological response. Anaphylactoid response is another food sensitivity, which trigger the production of histamine without the help of antibodies (immunoglobulin E). An example of such response is strawberry sensitivity.

It is best that you should consult a doctor, specifically an allergist. In this way, you can determine if you have a food sensitivity or intolerance rather than a food allergy. The doctor often perform a skin and/or blood test.