Peanuts. Photo PD BY Renee Comet.
Food allergies are on the rise and can even be life-threatening. The "big eight" offenders, responsible for 90% of adverse reactions are dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish.
Some of these are hidden ingredients. We have to play detective and work out which foods we can no longer eat, and what to replace them with. However, having learned to be in control in our own kitchens, can we still eat out safely?
Lynn Freeman talks to Allergy New Zealand's Allergy Advisor Penny Jorgenson, consultant dietician Anna Richards, and Claire Quigan who runs Cafe Express in Palmerston North.
