title: The prevalence and distribution of food sensitization in European adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complaints of 'food allergy' are increasing. Standardized surveys of IgE sensitization to foods are still uncommon and multicountry surveys are rare. We have assessed IgE sensitization to food-associated allergens in different regions of Europe using a common protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants from general populations aged 20-54 years in eight European centres (Zurich, Madrid, Utrecht, Lodz, Sophia, Athens, Reykjavik and Vilnius) were asked whether they had allergic symptoms associated with specific foods. Weighted samples of those with and without allergic symptoms then completed a longer questionnaire and donated serum for IgE analysis by ImmunoCAP for 24 foods, 6 aeroallergens and, by allergen microarray, for 48 individual food proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of IgE sensitization to foods ranged from 23.6% to 6.6%. The least common IgE sensitizations were to fish (0.2%), milk (0.8%) and egg (0.9%), and the most common were to hazelnut (9.3%), peach (7.9%) and apple (6.5%). The order of prevalence of IgE sensitization against different foods was similar in each centre and correlated with the prevalence of the pollen-associated allergens Bet v 1 and Bet v 2 (r = 0.86). IgE sensitization to plant allergen components unrelated to pollen allergens was more evenly distributed and independent of pollen IgE sensitization (r = -0.10). The most common foods containing allergens not cross-reacting with pollens were sesame, shrimp and hazelnut.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IgE sensitization to foods is common, but varies widely and is predominantly related to IgE sensitization to pollen allergens. IgE sensitization to food allergens not cross-reacting with pollens is rare and more evenly distributed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Epidemiology and Public Health, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: P G J
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Burney
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Potts
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kummeling
authors.forename: E N C
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clausen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dubakiene
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barreales
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Perez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Rivas
authors.forename: T-M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Knulst
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lidholm
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ballmer-Weber
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braun-Fahlander
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mustakov
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kralimarkova
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Popov
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakellariou
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Versteeg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zuidmeer
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Akkerdaas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoffmann-Sommergruber
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Ree
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Europe; adults; food hypersensitivity; microarray analysis; prevalence