A closer look at food allergy and intolerance

Food allergy is a condition prevalent in over 2 percent of the world's population. The topic has been subject to research from ancient Greek times and continues to attract modern scientific and medical communities. In susceptible individuals certain foods produce a wide spectrum of unwanted effects like eczema, asthma, and urticaria. The management of food allergy and intolerance chiefly involves elimination diets, accurate diagnosis and detecting the causative mechanism providing us with ample food for thought. In this article, we have attempted to summarize and simplify the research on the various aspects of food allergy and intolerance, and discuss the natural history, manifestations, mechanisms, diagnosis, and management of this condition affecting countless worldwide.