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Food allergies

Food allergies are the consequence in our body of particular substances contained in foods, that belong to every day diet.
Food allergy can be caused by special molecules contained in foods or by inability of our body to metabolize some substances contained in foods. This defect of the enzymes that don't metabolize particular substances, is generally congenital, but sometimes it can be acquired during one person's life.

Since 1970 up to now, the cases of food allergies are more than doubled. Among the causes:

increased consumption of international foods; we eat more and more foods from all around the world, which don't belong to our cookery traditions, against which our body has not developped any possible mechanisms of defence;
diminished frequency of breast-feeding;
increasing use of alimentary additives and complex industrial techniques.

Moreover nowadays there are more diagnostic means, which let a better identification of these allergies. Food allergies are object of disagreeing discussions. Allergy to gluten (coeliac desease) and allergy to lactose are the only scientifically recognized.

Intolerance to gluten (coeliac desease)

Coeliac desease is the intolerance to gluten, a protein of wheat, barley, rye. The consumption of gluten from people who suffer from coeliac desease, causes an imunity reaction of intestine against gluten. It consists in a production of antibodies, which causes the destruction of cells of intestine.
Generally children 30 mounths old or 12-14 years old or women about 35 years old fall ill.
Coeliac desease can cause serious gastroenteric troubles, and if it isn’t treated, it can evolve in lymphomas, gastroenteric tumours and autoimmune sicknesses.
People who suffer from coeliac desease can’t eat by-products of wheat, barley, oats, rye.

Allergy to milk proteins

The allergy to lactose is the more common allergy to milk. Lactose is a disaccharide contained in milk, made of the union of two simple sugars, galactose and glucose. Lactose is divided in two simple sugars by lactase enzyme.
Intolerance to lactose is due to the lack of lactase enzyme, produced by intestine, necessary for lactose hydrolysis and for its digestion.
Sometimes milk can be digested if it's consumed when it's raw, that is to say when it hasn't been industrially treated yet.
Also dairy products, if produced with raw milk, are more digestible.

Allergy to yeast

The discover of yeast part in fermentation process dates back to the half of the ninth century.
Yeasts are special kinds of microscopic fungus, whose enzymic function works to blow up the mixture and make the product softer and more delicate.
As barm is the most utilized yeast, it's considered the main responsible of intolerances to yeast.
The techniques of natural raise (from 24 to 72 hours) are the best, without forcing the increase of the mixture. Otherwise people intolerant to yeast should eat yeast free products.

Allergy to eggs

The allergy to eggs is more frequent in children, begins after the first six mounths of life, and it generally weakens as time goes by. Allergy to eggs is rare in adults.
This kind of intolerance is due especially to the proteins contained in the white. Cooked eggs have got lesser possibilities of 70% of causing intolerances, because some proteins are heat resistant.

Further information