Food Allergy Quiz

Instructions: Check "True" or "False" on the following statements. After you have gone through and checked the questions, click on the blank space between each question for the answer! Grade yourself using the grading system at the bottom of the page. If you want to print out the test without the answers, print it out before clicking on the answers. Take the test offline, then compare your answers with the correct answers hidden on this page by clicking on the blank space.

Note that this is just "for fun" and should not be taken as medical information.

Questions

F - Spelt is an ancient form of wheat, and very few with a wheat allergy can tolerate it.
T F 2) Goat's milk is a good alternative for those allergic to cow's milk.

F - Many people with a cow's milk allergy are also allergic to goat's milk.
T F 3) Some people have an allergy where they react to a food only after they exercise, most commonly celery.

T - Surprisingly, this is true, although it is quite rare (Chemical and Engineering News, September 7, 1998).
T F 4) Although reactions can occur nearly to the point of death, no one has ever died from a food allergic reaction.

F - Estimates are that between 100-200 people die per year from food allergic reactions. Ibid
T F 5) Peanuts are the most common food to have a severe reaction to.

T - Peanuts are generally the most common to cause a severe reaction, although not the only one.
T F 6) In the US, all ingredients need to be labeled on foods.

F - Ingredients do not need to be labeled if present in small amounts, or if there is another term for the ingredient ("modified food starch," for example).
T F 7) Schools are required, in the US, to work with parents whose children are severely allergic.

T - This is provided for in the ADA (American Disabilities Act).
T F 8) Scientists believe in the legitimacy of food allergies.

T - This statement is true, however they admit that they currently know very little about them. There are many who believe that no scientist is trying to do anything about food allergies, but this is incorrect. See the September 7, 1998 issue of C&EN for more information.
T F 9) The EpiPen is a shot of adrenaline.

T - Also known as epinephrine, an EpiPen is carried by those with severe allergies.
T F 10) There are proven cures and treatments for food allergies.

F - There are no current cures or treatments. "No specific treatment is available for food allergies except to stop eating the foods that trigger them...Desensitization by eating small amounts of a food or placing drops of food extracts under the tongue hasn't proved effective" (The Merck Manual of Medical Information: Home Edition, 1997).
T F 11) Allergy medications contain allergens.

T - Quite surprisingly, this statement is true. Although not all allergy medications contain allergens, you should nevertheless read the labels. Common food ingredients include citric acid, lactose, caramel, potato starch and corn starch.
T F 12) Friends are the hardest to explain food allergies to.

F- Believe it or not, friends ranked third hardest in a recent FAST poll, below new acquaintances and relatives, respectively.
T F 13) It is possible to get an incorrect result on a food allergy test.

T- Unfortunately, this statement is true. The current food allergy tests (blood and skin prick) are considered about 50% accurate; nevertheless they and a knowledgeable allergist give you something to go by!
T F 14) Semolina is a good substitute for wheat in recipes for the wheat-allergic.

F - Be very careful with this one! Semolina is just another name for wheat in a finer-ground state.
T F 15) Xanthan and guar gum are great allergen-free desserts.

F - They are "powdery" substances that give more chew and holdability to a product. Most people with food allergies can tolerate them, although guar gum may act as a laxative if over-used.
T F 16) An allergic reaction can take place 72 hours after a food is ingested!

T - This is commonly believed to be true, although allergic reactions can also happen immediately.
T F 17) Food intolerance and allergy are interchangeable names for the same disorder.

F - This is not true. Food allergies and intolerances are quite different. For example, lactose is not currently known to cause allergic reactions (although those with milk allergies avoid it anyway), but is known to cause an intolerance.
T F 18) Millions of people in the US alone have food allergies.

T - Yes, this is true! It is estimated that between 2-5 million Americans have legitimate food allergies, although the degrees of how severely vary.
T F 19) People without food allergies generally have a hard time taking them seriously.

T - A September 1998 debate about limiting/eliminating peanuts on planes caused a huge uproar among the non-allergenic community, which proclaimed the idea, and those supporting it, "nuts."
T F 20) The only way to get sick from an allergen is by eating it.

F - People with anaphylaxis shock can get ill from simply touching or smelling what they are allergic to!
T F 21) Food allergies are a disease.

T - They are a disease of the immune system.
T F 22) The "Big Four" cause 90% of food allergic reactions.

F - The "Big Eight" do. These are "milk, eggs, fish, crustacea, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, and wheat" (C&EN, Ibid).
T F 23) Food allergies are permanent.

T and F - Trick question! Children can sometimes outgrow food allergies.
T F 24) Those allergic to soybeans can still tolerate soy lecithin and soy oil.

T or F - This one is still debated today. Apparantly it's an iffy situation for anyone allergic to soy.
T F 25) Non-food items, such as playdough and stamps, can be made from food!

T - Unfortunately, this statement is true, and these products don't list ingredients. For example, the backing on a stamp can be food-based, and playdoughs generally contain wheat.
T F 26) People can catch food allergies from others.

T - But rare. It has been documented that food allergies can be passed along through certain transplants (search online for more information). However, through normal contact you cannot.
T F 27) Only children have food allergies.

F - Adults can also have food allergies.
T F 28) Food allergies are more common than Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.

T - In the USA, food allergies are 10 times more common than MS! Food allergies are not as uncommon as some believe.
T F 29) Celiac Sprue is the same as a wheat allergy.

F - Many people assume this since people with celiac's disease cannot eat wheat. But this is an unrelated disease of the intestine. Some confusion in these two diseases being related to one another may be because food allergies and celiacs often share recipes, magazines, and resources with one another.
T F 30) Only humans have food allergies.

F - Cats and dogs have also been diagnosed with food allergies. Often the allergy is to something in their pet food, such as corn. If you suspect an allergy in your pet, your veterinarian can do testing.