2) Food allergy is used for comedic effect, such as in the movies Hitch and in television, Kelsos egg allergy in That 70s Show 3) Food allergies may be incorporated into characters who are also portrayed as annoying, weak and oversensitive, which can be taken as implying that their allergies are either not real or not potentially severe. In season 1, episode 16 of The Big Bang Theory Howard Wolowitz deliberately consumes a peanut-containing food bar (and has a serious reaction) just to delay Leonard from returning to his apartment where a surprise birthday party is being arranged. 4) Any of these portrayals may underplay the potential severity of food allergy, some showing that Benadryl treatment is sufficient. Viewing of humorous portrayals of food allergies has been shown to have a negative effect on related health policy support due to low perceived seriousness. Research
A number of desensitization techniques are being studied. Areas of research include anti-IgE antibody (omalizumab), specific oral tolerance induction (SOTI, also known as OIT for oral immunotherapy), and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). The benefits of allergen immunotherapy for food allergies is unclear, thus is not recommended as of 2015.There is research on the effects of increasing intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during pregnancy, lactation, via infant formula and in early childhood on the subsequent risk of developing food allergies during infancy and childhood.
Genetically modified food
Although there is a scientific consensus that available food derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food, and a 2016 U.S. National Academy of Sciences report concluded that there is no relationship between consumption of GM foods and the increase in prevalence of food allergies, there are concerns that genetically modified foods, also described as foods sourced from genetically modified organisms (GMO), could be responsible for allergic reactions, and that the widespread acceptance of GMO foods may be responsible for what is a real or perceived increase in the percentage of people with allergies.One concern is that genetic engineering could make an allergy-provoking food more allergic, meaning that smaller portions would suffice to set off a reaction. Of the food currently in widespread GMO use, only soybeans are identified as a common allergen. However, for the soybean proteins known to trigger allergic reactions, there is more variation from strain to strain than between those and the GMO varieties. Another concern is that genes transferred from one species to another could introduce an allergen in a food not thought of as particularly allergenic. Research on an attempt to enhance the quality of soybean protein by adding genes from Brazil nuts was terminated when human volunteers known to have tree nut allergy reacted to the modified soybeans.Prior to a new GMO food receiving government approval, certain criteria need to be met. These include: Is the donor species known to be allergenic?