Food Allergy and Food Intolerance

A food allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a particular food, ranging from mild symptoms such as itching and rash to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Food intolerance, by contrast, is a physiological response in the digestive system that can appear as abdominal pain, bloating or diarrhoea. Lactose intolerance, the most common form, develops when the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose in the small intestine is missing or insufficient, leaving milk sugar undigested. Turkish regulations require substances and products that cause allergies or intolerances to be highlighted on food labels, clearly distinguished from the rest of the ingredient list. Reading labels correctly therefore lets people with allergies or intolerances make safe choices.