What are Food Sensitivities? An Adverse Food reaction is any abnormal reaction to the ingestion of food or additives. There are three important types:

1. Food Sensitivity is any other immune mediated reaction that is not IgE (can be many other mechanisms including IgG, IgM, Complement, T-Cells, etc). These are considered delayed reactions and can appear up to 96 hours after exposure. These reactions affect between 30-40% of the population and are by far the most prevalent. These types of reactions are frequently under-diagnosed and can go on for years before they are properly detected.
2. Food Allergy is an immediate reaction to an ingested food/additive that can be life-threatening. It is called a Type 1 reaction and it involves the IgE mechanism (immune mediated) and affects around 4-6% of the population. If a food allergy is suspected, it is very important to speak to an Allergist immediately for an evaluation.
3. Food Intolerance is a reaction that occurs when a particular food cannot be properly digested. It is not caused by the immune system and the symptoms are seen only in the digestive system. Examples include lactose intolerance which is when someone has no/low levels of the enzyme needed to digest the lactose found in dairy. FODMAPs are another example of a food intolerance.