A food allergy is an abnormal reaction to foods, or food
ingredients, normally tolerated by most people. Types of food
allergies There are two types of allergic reactions: "fixed" and
"variable". A person with a fixed allergic response reacts to
even a small amount of food every time it is encountered.
Extremely sensitive people need only smell or touch the food to
react. The reaction can be very severe; producing immediate
symptoms such as asthma, hives, or shock. People with fixed
allergic responses never seem to outgrow their allergies or
develop a tolerance to the food(s). These individuals may have
to avoid all contact with the food - never handling it, or even
being in the same areas when it is cooked. The more common type
of allergic response is the variable or cyclical response. This
reaction is more difficult to diagnose, but less severe than the
fixed response. Since the variable response is dose-dependent, a
tolerance for the food(s) can be elicited by avoiding it for a
period of time (i.e. 2 to 12