Food allergies on vacation-there and back again

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Public Health
• Travel Medicine

Background:

• Food allergy (FA) significantly impacts daily life, including travel.
• Management of food allergy during travel is a critical public health consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of existing literature on managing food allergy while traveling.

Main Methods:

• Searched Medline and Embase for English-language articles from the past 20 years.
• Included terms "food allergy" and "travel" in the search.
• Reviewed 83 references, with 23 relevant articles selected after removing duplicates and irrelevant material.

Main Results:

• Key considerations for patients and families include the risk of reactions away from home.
• Proximity to emergency medical services and potential for cross-contact exposure are important factors.
• International travel presents additional challenges, such as language barriers.

Conclusions:

• Patients with food allergies need meticulous planning and preparation for travel.
• Ensuring continuous access to safe food and emergency medications is paramount for individuals with food allergies when traveling.