(HealthDay News) -- A food allergy is an abnormal immune system response to food.
About 4 million people in the United States have at least one food allergy, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Fewer than 2 percent of adults have this hypersensitivity, but 6 percent of children under the age of 3 do.
It's critical for people who have these allergies to avoid foods that may trigger a reaction.
Some foods in sensitive people can cause serious illnesses, and sometimes even death. These include peanuts, eggs, shrimp -- and products that contain these ingredients.
Be sure to check the ingredients of any product that a person with food allergies may eat.
An estimated 150 people die from food allergies every year. Producers are now required to list all ingredients used in the manufacture of food items.
