23.1 Introduction
Food allergy has been long recognised as a clinical phenomenon, with
numerous reports in the 20th century medical literature.1±3However, while it
was known that patients could suffer extremely severe and sometimes fatal
reactions following ingestion of minute amounts of the offending food, food
allergy was perceived as a problem for the individual sufferers. Since 1985,
however, this perception has changed, and food allergy is now recognised as an
important public health problem. A major factor in this increased concern is
probably the rise in the prevalence of atopic disease,^4 of which it can be
considered a manifestation. The prevalence and incidence of food allergy and
the number of severe reactions^5 may be increasing, although the lack of sound
baseline epidemiological data precludes firm conclusions. The new perception
of food allergy has been accompanied by the recognition that the solution to the
problem lies with collaboration between all the stakeholders, including patients
and those who look after them, clinicians, public authorities and the food
industry.
The ultimate aim for all stakeholders is to avoid food allergy sufferers
reacting to the allergens to which they are sensitised. This can be achieved in
two ways. One is to ensure accurate allergen declaration through labelling, the
other is to ensure that where a specific allergen is not declared, the product does
not contain it in an amount that would pose a risk and food allergy sufferers can
assume it is safe for them. Both these requirements can only be fulfilled by
detailed knowledge of the composition of products. Food manufacturing
processes are extremely complex. This complexity derives from several factors,
including material sourcing, processing, efficient use of equipment and other
23 Managing risksfromallergenic residues
R. W. R. Crevel, Unilever Colworth, UK