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Publication
Alergénios e modo de rotulagem
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPG_23878 | 804.56 KB | Adobe PDF |
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A prevalência das alergias alimentares tem vindo a aumentar consideravelmente nos
últimos 20 anos e os motivos não são ainda muito claros.
Os alergénios alimentares são essencialmente proteínas que se encontram distribuídas por
vários tipos de alimentos, e que podem desencadear reações imunomediadas por IgE,
desenvolvendo sintomas inflamatórios de moderados a severos, numa questão de minutos.
Das várias reações alérgicas possíveis, a anafilática é a mais temida, uma vez que envolve
todos os sistemas e pode conduzir à morte. Este constitui um dos maiores motivos de
ansiedade e de perda de qualidade de vida por parte dos indivíduos que padecem de
alergias alimentares.
Atualmente, o único tratamento considerado eficaz é a evicção, isto é, o indivíduo portador
de determinada alergia deverá evitar o alimento ao qual é alérgico e todos o que derivarem
deste. Um dos problemas da evicção é que não funciona no caso de alergénios ocultos,
muitas vezes presentes nos alimentos processados.
A rotulagem dos alimentos vem no sentido de colmatar esta falha, identificando possíveis
alergénios presentes e alertando para a contaminação cruzada, através da indicação de
“Contém”. A atual diretiva comunitária já implementada, obriga à descrição de todos os
principais alergénios (atualmente 12) , mesmo os que se encontram sob a forma de aditivos
para que a informação se torne mais clara para o consumidor.
Pretendeu-se traçar um perfil de pessoas com alergias alimentares, bem como estudar os
hábitos e opiniões acerca da rotulagem.
As alergias alimentares mais prevalentes foram relativamente a leite e a mariscos, sendo
que no primeiro caso algumas seriam apenas intolerâncias alimentares confundidas com
alergias. A rotulagem apresenta-se abaixo das expectativas para a maioria das pessoas com
alergias alimentares, que consideram ainda ser escassa a variedade de alimentos sem
alergénios.
Food allergy prevalence has been increasing in the past twenty years, although the motives remain unclear. Food allergens are mostly proteins found in all sort of food, that are able to trigger an IgEresponse with inflammatory simptoms, that go from mild symptoms to severe ones in few minutes. Anaphilaxys is the most feared allergic reaction, because it is potentially life-threatening, since it involves all the systems of the organism. This is one of the major issues that brings anxiety and lowers the life quality of people with food allergies. Currently, the only treatment considered efective is avoiding the food allergen that causes the allergic reaction, and all of the sources of that allergen. One of the problems with dietary avoidance is that it does not prevent contact with hidden allergens, usually present in processed foods. Food labeling helps people with food allergies, because it helps to identify possible allergens hidden by cross-contamination, using the word “contains”. The current UE policy on food labeling already implemented, includes the obligation of describing all the major allergens (12 at the moment), even when as additives, so the information becomes clearer to the consumer. In this work it was intended to profile people with food allergies, and to have their opinion and habits on labeling. The most prevalent food allergies were on milk and shellfish, though regarding to milk some people might be confused about milk allergy and milk intolerance. Food labeling is still beyond expectation for people who suffer from food allegy, and they also consider the need of “free allergen” food.
Food allergy prevalence has been increasing in the past twenty years, although the motives remain unclear. Food allergens are mostly proteins found in all sort of food, that are able to trigger an IgEresponse with inflammatory simptoms, that go from mild symptoms to severe ones in few minutes. Anaphilaxys is the most feared allergic reaction, because it is potentially life-threatening, since it involves all the systems of the organism. This is one of the major issues that brings anxiety and lowers the life quality of people with food allergies. Currently, the only treatment considered efective is avoiding the food allergen that causes the allergic reaction, and all of the sources of that allergen. One of the problems with dietary avoidance is that it does not prevent contact with hidden allergens, usually present in processed foods. Food labeling helps people with food allergies, because it helps to identify possible allergens hidden by cross-contamination, using the word “contains”. The current UE policy on food labeling already implemented, includes the obligation of describing all the major allergens (12 at the moment), even when as additives, so the information becomes clearer to the consumer. In this work it was intended to profile people with food allergies, and to have their opinion and habits on labeling. The most prevalent food allergies were on milk and shellfish, though regarding to milk some people might be confused about milk allergy and milk intolerance. Food labeling is still beyond expectation for people who suffer from food allegy, and they also consider the need of “free allergen” food.