Food allergy to previously tolerated foods: course and patient characteristics

IgE-mediated food allergy is a life threatening disease with an increasing prevalence in developed countries (1). Food proteins are innocuous non–self-antigens which are regularly absorbed through the gastro-intestinal tract without provoking a significant immune reaction. The mechanisms responsible for the development of primary immune tolerance to food-related proteins are still not well understood (2). IgE-mediated food allergy results when the adaptive immune system fails to develop tolerance to these food proteins and instead develops IgE antibodies directed against allergenic epitopes (2).

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