Asthma and food allergy

Food allergies can be classified as IgE-mediated or non-IgE-mediated. Besides foods, some additives and preservatives can also trigger asthma in certain people. Asthma may develop in about 5% of individuals who suffer from food allergy and current asthma may be triggered by foods among 6-8% of children and 2% of adults. Because of the difficulty of confirming diagnosis of food allergy, novel approaches are currently being investigated and new therapy modalities are being sought. For total asthma control and for better quality of life, steps should be taken to avoid foods in cases of food allergy.