What are food allergies and their effects?

Food allergies 'gone in 10 years'?

• Experts at the BA Festival of Science, in Norwich, heard that vaccines could be created against the molecules which trigger allergies. The scientist leading the research - Dr Ronald van Ree, from Amsterdam University - said a vaccine with no side effects was in sight. About one in 70 people have an allergy to foods such as peanuts or shellfish. New genetic engineering techniques are being tested to reduce the effect of the proteins in food that cause adverse - sometimes fatal - reactions. It is hoped that scientists will be able to make the molecules safe enough to use in drugs that fight food allergies via the immune system. These would be used in conjunction with compounds designed to reduce inflammation - one of the most dangerous effects of allergic reactions. Effective treatment will end the fear that food-allergic patients have for unwanted exposure to food allergens do you think that they will finally great rid of allergies? because if they do that will be nice

• Answer:

  Perhaps, but genetic engineering is so rife with issues (all very debatable, and too lengthy to cover here) that I wouldn't hold my breath. There are already some pretty decent treatments for allergies, one of which is a series of shots that helps to desensitize the body to allergens gradually. They are expensive but if your insurance covers them, they may be very effective. I think that while there may be strides made in treatment and prevention of serious allergic reactions, we will always have allergies because we are always coming in contact with substances that some of our bodies start freaking out about, and we come in contact with literally hundreds of thousands of substances per day (think of all the ingredients in one sandwich, then all the ingredients in your toothpaste, deodorant, the starch used on your clothes, the air freshener in that office you visited, and on and on. . .).