The Mysterious Rise of Food Allergies
25th October 2022
For millions of Americans, these ingredients are a recipe for an upset stomach, hives, swelling, or even a trip to the emergency room — all because of allergies to food.
Food allergies are becoming increasingly common, in children and in adults. Yet it’s surprisingly difficult to get a handle on even the basics. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates about 2 percent of adults and 4 to 8 percent of children suffer from food allergies, but some scientists think the number is as high as 10 percent across the board, around 33 million people in the US. Some have even described food allergies as an epidemic.