What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

• I was diagnosed with a cashew nut allergy as a small child will I still be allergic? I've never tried the nut. Is there any way for completely curing the allergies?

• Answer:

  A food allergy describes a reaction to food that is immune mediated - characteristic features are rash, difficulty breathing, eczema, swelling, itching - usually around the mouth and throat. Food intolerance describes a physical reaction to food that is not immune mediated - feaures may be similar to those of food allergy, and include vomiting, ulceration, abodminal pain, diarrhoea, bloating, and it is thought that some food intolerance may be associated with features such as arthritis, seizures, migraine etc. One way of finding out if you're allergic to cashew nuts is to try and persuade your GP to do a RAST test for cashew nut protein. Some allergies can be cured by hyposensitisation, which involves desensitisation to the allergen by sequential administration of increasing doses of the offending substance. This should only be done in specialist clinics, and is not advised for life threatening allergy or peanut allergy.