Briefly discuss cross-reaction and cross-contamination as they relate to food allergies

Answer 1

Cross-reaction is the reaction of one antigen with antibodies developed against another antigen. Cross-reaction is a concern for someone diagnosed with a food allergy. For instance, if someone has a history of allergic reaction to shrimp, testing may show that person is also allergic to other shellfish, such as crab and lobster.

The possibility of cross-contamination is also a problem for people with food allergies. When one food comes in contact with another food, trace amounts of each food mix with the other. Cross-contamination can occur in processing plants when different foods are processed on the same equipment. It can also occur at home—a knife inserted into the peanut butter jar and then used in the jelly will contaminate the jelly with peanut protein.