Sign In
Australia
News release
From:
As this year's Food Allergy Week begins on 25 May, researchers from James Cook University (JCU) are warning that the story of food allergies is far more complex – and in some cases more surprising – than most Australians realise.
Food Allergy Week is an annual awareness campaign promoted by Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia to educate the public and support the estimated one in twenty Australians living with food allergy.
This year's campaign focuses on a critical message: recognising the signs of anaphylaxis early and knowing how to respond can be the difference between life and death.
Professor Andreas Lopata, head of JCU’s Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory, said the scale of the problem has grown dramatically in recent decades.
“We’ve seen the official list of known allergens, substances that trigger an immune reaction in susceptible people, grow from 56 in 1986 to more than 1100 by mid 2025,” Professor Lopata said.
He said Australians have one of the highest rates of food allergies in the world, as well as one of the highest rates of hospital admissions for anaphylaxis - a rapid, life-threatening allergic reaction.
“There has been more than a 50 per cent increase in anaphylaxis presentations to Australian emergency departments over a five-year period, rising to more than 11,500 cases per year,” he said.
This year, Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia is focusing Food Allergy Week on early recognition and knowing how to respond. Professor Lopata said recognising the signs quickly can be life-saving, but the full picture of symptoms is wider than many people expect.
“Many people associate anaphylaxis with breathing difficulties, and those are certainly serious warning signs, difficult or noisy breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, wheezing, or a hoarse voice all require immediate action,” he said.
“But reactions often begin with the skin — sudden hives, widespread itching or redness.
“These cutaneous symptoms are among the most common early features of anaphylaxis and should not be dismissed, especially when they appear shortly after eating.”
Professor Lopata said persistent dizziness or collapse, and young children becoming pale and floppy, may also be indicators that an anaphylactic reaction is underway.
“It is usually a fast reaction, occurring within the first 20 minutes of exposure to an allergen. But in certain conditions it can take up to two hours or more,” he said.
“The treatment is to get the person lying or sitting on the ground, administer an adrenaline auto-injector such as an EpiPen immediately, and then call an ambulance.”
Dr Fulvio Salvo, Consultant Allergist and Clinical Immunologist at Cairns Hospital, said one of the most important public messages is that food allergy can involve unexpected allergen connections that are not always obvious to patients.
“Not all allergic reactions are caused by the classic allergens people immediately think about,” Dr Salvo said.
“Some patients are sensitised to environmental allergens such as house dust mites and may also react to shellfish because of shared allergenic proteins.
“Others are being exposed to novel food products, including insect-based proteins, that can cross-react with existing shellfish allergy.”
Dr Salvo said these emerging patterns highlight the importance of specialist allergy assessment and accurate diagnosis.
“Understanding the molecular basis of allergy allows us to identify hidden cross-reactivities, provide more precise advice, and avoid unnecessary dietary restrictions while still protecting patients from serious reactions,” he said.
Professor Lopata said JCU’s Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory is at the forefront of identifying these emerging and hidden allergen connections, with active research into shellfish, edible insects, dust mite cross-reactivity and marine species.
“The allergen landscape is evolving faster than public awareness. Our research is helping to map these new exposures and understand the molecular basis of unexpected reactions — work that ultimately improves diagnosis and opens pathways to better treatments,” Professor Lopata said.
Both researchers noted that the treatment outlook for food allergy is improving. Oral immunotherapy — gradually desensitising patients to their allergen — is increasingly available for conditions such as peanut allergy.
A new needle-free adrenaline nasal spray, Neffy, has recently been approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, offering an additional option for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.
For more information about Food Allergy Week visit allergyfacts.org.au/get-involved/food-allergy-week
