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Experts who participated at the World Allergy Organisation s international Scientific Conference (WISC 2012) said that the increasing incidences of life-threatening allergies like food allergies, drug allergies and more complex forms of allergic diseases is a cause for serious concern. The four-day conference backed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was held for the first time in India at Hyderabad.
Experts stressed the need for better testing and further training of pediatricians and allergists to help fight the growing health problems caused by allergy such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic skin diseases.
There is also a small, but growing problem of Indian foods causing allergy. With growing exports of Indian food products, the demand for more data to consumers has also grown. The experts have suggested allergen-specific tests for Indian foods and advocated a policy on labeling food products.
The experts emphasised the need for additional data and labelling policies which are considered essential to enable consumers and exporters of Indian food and packaged products to take informed decisions, the organisers said.
Up to 30-40 per cent of the world's population are now affected by some form of allergy. Over the past 20 years food allergies have raised sharply with 1-2 per cent of adults and 4-6 per cent of children thought to be affected. According to a new study, chemicals called dichlorophenols in water are linked to the huge rise in food allergies. These chemicals have anti-bacterial properties which may affect the microflora in the gut that protect against food allergies, the study suggests.
Related article: Beware of food allergies!