Eight top allergens account for 90 percent of all food allergies. The 8 top allergens can be remembered by the mnemonic TEMPS WFS:Tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)
Eggs
Milk
Peanuts
Shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp)
Wheat
Fish (bass, cod, flounder)
Soy
Eight top allergens account for 90 percent of all food allergies. See more Allergy and Immunology mind maps here.
Peanut allergy
Peanut allergy is usually lifelong, often severe, and potentially fatal. It is not uncommon. In North America and the UK, prevalence among school children is more than 1%.
Remission of peanut allergy can be predicted by low levels of IgE to peanut in the first 2 years of life or decreasing levels of IgE sensitization by the age of 3 years.
How to read labels in peanut allergy?
Medical Websites (by Hospitals or Universities)
Decoding Food Labels: Tools for People with Food Allergies. University of Florida.
Peanut Allergy Diet. University of Michigan.
Peanut allergy. Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospital.
Which foods may be "safe"?
(shown for illustration only, information is not verified, use at your own risk, please see this website disclaimer)
Patient-support Websites (non-professional)
10 Peanut Allergy Safe Candy Canes for 2007. AllergyMoms Blog.
Safe Foods. Peanut Aware Inc.
Reading Food Labels. Allergic Child Publishing Group.
AAAAI: Gradual Exposure Reduces Kids' Peanut Allergy. MedPage Today, 03/2008.
References:
Peanut allergy: Emerging concepts and approaches for an apparent epidemic. Sicherer SH, Sampson HA. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Aug 7.
Early clinical predictors of remission of peanut allergy in children. JACI, 03/2008.
Food Allergy: A Short Review. Allergy Cases.
Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
Related:
Guest Columnist Allegra Cullen, Age 12, on Peanut Allergy. Achoo! Allergy.