The document discusses food allergies and immunology. It defines the immune system and how it responds to antigens through antibody production. Food allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly reacts to certain foods. The main types of food allergies are IgE-mediated and non-IgE mediated. Common symptoms include hives, difficulty breathing, and anaphylaxis in severe cases. Treatment involves strictly avoiding the allergenic foods and carrying an epinephrine auto-injector in case of anaphylaxis.

1. IMMUNOLOGY TO FOOD ALLERGY
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD PROCESSINGAND TECHNOLOGY
SOVSAS- GBU
SUBMITTED BY:-
Smridhi .E. Masih
R.no. 17/PFT/004
M.Tech Food technology

2. Table of content
1. Immune system
2. Immunity and immunology
3. Antigen
4. Antibody
5. Ag-Ab response
6. Disorders of Immune system
7. Allergy
8. Food allergy
9. Types of food allergies
10. What actually happens to our body during food allergy
11. Symptoms
12. Treatment and management
13. Conclusion
14. References
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3. Immune system
• The immune system is a host’s defense system
comprising of many biological structures
and processes within an organism that protects him
from a disease.
• It is the body's defense management against infectious
organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps
called the immune response, the immune system attacks
organisms and substances that invade body systems and
cause disease.
• The immune system is made up of a network of cells,
tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body.
One of the important cells involved are white blood cells,
also called leukocytes.
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4. Immunity and Immunology
• DEFINITION: - The integrated body system of organs,
tissues and cells that differentiates self from non – self &
neutralizes potentially pathogenic organisms.
• The Latin term “IMMUNIS” means EXEMPT, referring to
protection against foreign agents.
• Immunology is the study of physiological defenses by
which the host destroys or neutralizes foreign matter
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5. Antigen
• An antigen is a protein on a foreign object that stimulates
the immune system to produce antibodies (Ab).
• An antigen may be a virus, bacteria, toxin, pollen,etc that
triggers the immune response in the body.
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6. Antibody
• Antibody, also
called immunoglobulin, a
protective protein produced
by the immune system in
response to the presence of
a foreign substance, called
an antigen.
• Antibodies recognize and
latch onto antigens in order
to remove them from the
body.
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7. Types of Immunoglobulin's (Ab)
• The five major classes of
antibodies, or
immunoglobulins, differ in
distribution and function.
1. IgG
2. IgE
3. IgD
4. IgM
5. IgA
• Out of these
immunolglobulins IgE is
responsible for allergic
reactions
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8. Antigen-Antibody response
• When an alien substance enters the body, the immune system is able to
recognize it as foreign because molecules on the surface of the antigen
differ from those found in the body.
• To eliminate the invader, the immune system calls on a number of
mechanisms, including one of the most important- Antibody production.
• Antibodies attack antigens by binding to them.
• Antigens & antibodies combine specifically with each other. This
interaction between them is called ‘Antigen-Antibody reaction’.
• Abbreviated as Ag – Ab reaction.
• The binding of an antibody to an antigen can neutralize its action by
simply changing its chemical composition.
• Once begun, antibody production continues for several days until all
antigen molecules are removed.
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10. Disorder of Immune system
• The immune system is a finely tuned network but,
sometimes this network breaks down, causing the
immune system to react inappropriately.
• Disorders of the immune system fall into four main
categories:
1. immunodeficiency disorders (primary or acquired)
2. autoimmune disorders (in which the body's own immune
system attacks its own tissue as foreign matter)
3. Allergic disorders (in which the immune system
overreacts in response to an antigen)
4. cancers of the immune system
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11. What is an Allergy?
Allergies are caused by an abnormal response of the immune
system. The immune system reacts to a usually harmless
substance in the environment. This substance can be pollen,
mold, dust, animal dander, certain foods, insect stings, etc. and
is referred to as an allergen.
• Types of Allergies
1. food Allergy
2. Skin Allergy
3. Dust Allergy
4. Insect Sting Allergy
5. Pet Allergies
6. Eye Allergy
7. Drug Allergies
8. Mold Allergy
9. Cockroach Allergy
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13. Food allergy
• Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after
eating a certain food.
• It occurs when the body’s immune system sees a certain food as
harmful and reacts by causing symptoms such as digestive problems,
hives or swollen airways. This is an allergic reaction.
• Foods that cause allergic reactions are allergens.
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14. • Eight foods that are
responsible for the majority
of allergic reactions:
1. Milk (mostly in children)
2. Eggs
3. Peanuts
4. Tree nuts, like walnuts,
almonds, pine nuts,
brazil nuts, and pecans
5. Soy
6. Wheat and other grains
with gluten, including
barley, rye, and oats
7. Fish (mostly in adults)
8. Shellfish (mostly in
adults)
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15. s.no. Allergic proteins Food source
1. lactose Dairy products mainly milk
2. gluten Wheat ,barley, rye
3. yeast Bread
4. fructose beans
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16. Types of food allergies
IgE mediated food allergy
• Symptoms result from the
body’s immune system
making antibodies called
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)
antibodies. These IgE
antibodies react with a
certain food.
• Examples of IgE mediated
food allergy are:-
1. Cross reactivity
2. Oral allergy syndrome
IgE non mediated food allergy
• Other parts of the body’s
immune system react to a
certain food. This reaction
causes symptoms, but does
not involve an IgE antibody.
• Examples of IgE non-
mediated food allergies are:-
1. Eosinophilic Esophagitis
(EoE)
2. Food Protein-Induced
Enterocolitis Syndrome
(FPIES)
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17. IgE mediated food allergy
1. cross-reactivity.
• Having an IgE mediated allergy to one food can mean
your child is allergic to similar foods.
• For example, if your child is allergic to shrimp, he or she
may be allergic to other types of shellfish, such as crab or
crayfish. Or if your child is allergic to cow’s milk, he or she
may also be allergic to goat’s and sheep’s milk.
• The reaction between different foods is called cross-
reactivity.
• This happens when proteins in one food are similar to the
proteins in another food.
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18. IgE Non-mediated food allergy
1. Eosinophilic esophagitis is an inflamed esophagus.
• The esophagus is a tube from the throat to the stomach.
An allergy to a food can cause this condition.
• With EoE, swallowing food can be hard and painful.
• Symptoms in infants and toddlers are irritability, problems
with eating and poor weight gain.
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19. What actually happens to our body during food
allergy?
• When someone has a food allergy, their immune system mistakenly
identifies a specific food or a substance in food as something harmful.
• In response, their immune system triggers cells to release an
antibody known as Immunoglobulin E (IgE) to neutralize the allergy-
causing food or food substance (the allergen).
• IgE combines with mast cells and basophils that circulate throughout
the blood.
• The next time they eat even the smallest amount of that food, IgE
antibodies sense it and signal their immune system to release a
chemical called Histamine, as well as other chemicals, into the
bloodstream.
• These chemicals cause allergy symptoms.
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21. Symptoms
• Allergic reactions to food normally occur within minutes of
eating the trigger food, though they can sometimes
appear a few hours later.
• Symptoms of a food allergy include:
1. Hives or red and itchy skin
2. Shortness of breath
3. Sneezing
4. teary eyes
5. Vomiting
6. stomach cramps or diarrhoea
7. swelling
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22. • In some cases, food allergies can cause a severe reaction
called anaphylaxis.
• Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction
which require immediate medical treatment. If not treated
properly, anaphylaxis can be fatal.
• Signs of this reaction include:
1. Blood pressure drop
2. Trouble breathing
3. Dizziness
4. Possible death
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23. Treatment and Management
• If someone is diagnosed with a food allergy, the
treatment plan will be to strictly avoid that food.
• An anaphylactic episode can be treated with a hormone
called Epinephrine, which maintains blood pressure and
opens up the airways.
• People diagnosed with food allergy are advised to carry a
medical device called Auto-injector along which releases
a single dose of epinephrine into the thigh muscles.
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24. • There is currently no cure for food allergies; nor are there
medicines to prevent reactions. Yet there are steps you
should take to manage your condition. The most important
of these are:-
1. avoid coming in contact with food proteins that can
cause an allergic reaction.
2. Read food labels to ensure that you don’t eat foods that
contain foods to which you are allergic.
3. Always ask about ingredients when eating at
restaurants or when you are eating foods prepared by
family or friends.
4. Wash your hands and surfaces.
5. Carry an Autoinjector with you to avoid a serious
situation.
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25. Conclusion
Food allergies are a disease which cannot be treated or
cured, it can only be prevented. So it is important for a
person to identify his food allergens or the proteins which
might affect his body and should avoid their consumption.
“Precaution is better than cure.”
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26. References
• The Immunology of Food Allergy Laura K. Johnston, Karen B. Chien and
Paul J. Bryce http://www.jimmunol.org/content/192/6/2529 doi:
10.4049/jimmunol.1303026 J Immunol 2014; 192:2529-2534;
• Food Allergies and Other Food Sensitivities A publication of the Institute of
Food Technologists’ Expert Panel on Food Safety and Nutrition Steve L.
Taylor, Ph.D. and Susan L. Hefle, Ph.D.
• Food Allergy Awareness Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)
• Antigen and Antibody Reactions basics Dr.T.V.Rao MD slideshare
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