Myth 1: Allergy and intolerance are the same
Food intolerance is usually not related to the immune system but arises due to enzyme deficiency or other metabolic mechanisms. Therefore, the terms allergy and intolerance are not considered synonyms in medicine.
“Food intolerance and allergy are different disorders. For example, lactose intolerance usually occurs due to a deficiency of the enzyme lactase in the digestive tract and is not related to the immune system,” says A. Zabulionė, junior researcher at the KTU Food Institute.
She points out that milk allergy, on the other hand, is an immune response to milk proteins. “IgE-mediated allergic reactions can sometimes be severe and cause anaphylaxis – a life-threatening condition,” says the scientist.
Myth 2: Tasting a little won’t hurt
For some very sensitive people, even a very small amount of allergen can trigger a reaction. A. Zabulionė notes that reaction thresholds vary greatly among individuals, so not only a “full bite” but also small amounts of allergen due to cross-contamination can be dangerous. “The severity of the reaction is also individual and not always easily predictable,” she asserts.
For example, peanut allergy studies describe very different reaction thresholds – from milligrams to even smaller amounts. This shows that for very sensitive people, safety cannot be assessed by the principle “it’s just a little.”
Myth 3: Heat treatment destroys allergens
According to the KTU scientist, it depends on the specific allergen. Some proteins are heat-sensitive and lose part of their allergenicity when boiled or baked.
“For instance, some people allergic to raw apples due to cross-reactions with birch pollen can tolerate heat-treated apples,” says A. Zabulionė.
However, she points out that other allergens, such as some peanut, tree nut, fish, or shellfish proteins, are quite resistant to heat treatment and may retain their allergenic effect after heating. Interestingly, heating can sometimes even increase the allergenic effect.
“Certain heat treatment and industrial processing processes can alter the spatial structure, stability, and epitopes of proteins. For example, Maillard reactions during peanut roasting can increase the resistance of some allergenic proteins and their recognition by IgE antibodies,” says the KTU scientist.
This is also confirmed by studies: it has been found that roasted peanuts can be recognized more strongly by IgE antibodies of allergic people than raw peanuts. One study found that extracts of roasted peanuts were recognized about 90 times more strongly by IgE antibodies of allergic patients than extracts of raw peanuts. However, this is a measure of laboratory IgE binding, not a direct measure of clinical reaction severity.
Myth 4: Taking allergy medication allows safe consumption of the allergen
Antihistamines can reduce some symptoms, such as itching or hives, but they do not protect against severe anaphylactic reactions and do not replace a doctor’s prescribed emergency plan.
“Therefore, antihistamines are not considered permission to consume a known allergen. For people at risk of anaphylaxis, allergen avoidance and a doctor-prescribed emergency plan remain the most important,” says A. Zabulionė.
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Myth 5: If you consume very small doses of allergen, the body will naturally get used to it
The KTU scientist emphasizes that self-administered “microdosing” can be dangerous. Although oral immunotherapy methods exist in medicine, they are performed only under strict supervision by allergists and are not suitable for all patients.
“Trying to regularly consume small amounts of allergen at home may not reduce but increase the risk of a severe reaction,” asserts A. Zabulionė.
The fact that such therapy is not simply “getting used” to the allergen is also shown by research data: even when treatment is applied according to protocol and supervised by medical professionals, adverse reactions, including severe reactions or anaphylaxis, can occur. Therefore, not only the allergen dose but also the precisely selected treatment regimen, patient condition, and medical supervision are important.
Myth 6: The fewer different products we eat, the lower the risk of allergies
Nutrition can influence the risk of allergic diseases, but there is no reason to believe that the fewer different products we eat, the more protected we are from allergies. On the contrary: studies show that a varied diet, especially rich in different plant products and fibers, can be beneficial for the gut microbiota, which is important for the immune system and its ability to tolerate harmless substances.
“Currently, there is no reliable evidence that any specific diet – omnivorous, vegetarian, or vegan – by itself protects against food allergies or causes them. Greater importance is likely given to overall dietary diversity, microbiota status, genetic predisposition, and early life environmental factors,” says A. Zabulionė.
Therefore, allergy prevention is not based on the principle “the less, the safer.” Especially in childhood, safe and diverse food exposure is important. Clinical trials and systematic reviews show that timely and safe introduction of some common allergens, especially well-cooked egg and peanuts, into complementary feeding in early childhood may be associated with a lower risk of these allergies. However, this is not a recommendation for self-testing allergens for a person already diagnosed with an allergy.
Myth 7: If the package says “may contain traces,” the product definitely contains the allergen
The label “may contain traces of nuts, eggs, milk, soy” does not mean that these allergens are ingredients of the product. It usually warns of possible accidental cross-contamination during production, transportation, or packaging.
“In the food industry, the same equipment, conveyors, mixers, or packaging lines are often used to produce different products. Even with thorough cleaning, very small amounts of proteins can sometimes remain on surfaces and get into another product. Although this poses no risk to most people, for very sensitive allergic individuals, even a small amount of allergen can trigger a reaction,” the interviewee asserts.
From a scientific and regulatory perspective, this area is still complex. In the European Union, it is mandatory to clearly indicate allergens when they are ingredients of the product, but there are no uniformly applied mandatory quantitative limits for precautionary labeling due to possible cross-contamination for all allergens and product categories.
“Because of this, labeling practices among different manufacturers may vary: in some cases, such a label may be used when the likelihood of cross-contamination is very low, in others when the risk is higher. However, even without perfectly uniform practice, this labeling is important for allergic people as it allows them, considering their sensitivity and doctor’s recommendations, to make a safer decision,” says A. Zabulionė.
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