{"id":43515,"date":"2024-06-26T11:00:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-26T09:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnuus\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-3\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:37:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:37:18","slug":"food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Food allergies on the surge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Food allergies have increased significantly in people of all ages around the world, and particularly among children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During World Allergy Week, observed from Sunday, 23 June, to Saturday, 29 June, the Allergy Foundation of South Africa (Afsa) aims to educate people on this increasingly common, and at times life-threatening, disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Mike Levin, CEO of Afsa, said some potential causes for this increase can be attributed to environmental factors, with cleaner environments possibly leading to under-stimulated immune systems (the \u201chygiene hypothesis\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another possible cause is dietary changes, with children being exposed to allergenic foods later than before and people being exposed to changing food processing methods, an increase in sugary, fatty, processed foods and a reduction in \u201cwhole\u201d foods rich in antioxidants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Levin said gut health and changes in the gut microbiome can also impact immune responses, contributing to food allergies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Claudia Gray, a paediatrician and allergologist at the Kids Allergy Centre and an allergy consultant at the Red Cross Children\u2019s Hospital, says that in South Africa about 2,5% of children have a food allergy, and this is on the rise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost schools will have several learners with a potentially life-threatening food allergy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a food allergy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It usually begins when a person is young and may continue throughout their lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food allergies involve your immune system which can sometimes get confused and react to the proteins in certain foods \u2013 mistakenly thinking they are dangerous, which starts an immune response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people can also react to foods if they have a pollen allergy (hay fever). This is because their body can confuse the proteins in pollen with the proteins in certain foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts such as walnuts and cashews, eggs, cow\u2019s milk, seafood, soy, and wheat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This list is by no means exhaustive and there are many other less common foods that people are allergic to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"

<\/p>\n

Symptoms of allergies can vary, depending on whether you are having a mild or severe reaction. Usually, the symptoms apprear quickly, but it can also take a few hours to develop. Photo: Unsplash\/Brittany Colette<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What are the symptoms of a food allergy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symptoms can vary depending on whether you are having a mild or severe reaction. Usually, the symptoms appear quickly \u2013 within seconds or minutes, or it can also take up to a few hours to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Some of the symptoms include:<\/p>\n

wheezing or breathing difficulties;<\/p>\n

itchy red patches on the skin (hives);<\/p>\n

itching or tingling in your mouth;<\/p>\n

feeling sick;<\/p>\n

dizziness; or<\/p>\n

stomach pain.<\/p>\n

Anaphylaxis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately for some food allergies can be life-threatening if it causes a severe reaction called anaphylaxis which can lead to a sharp drop in blood pressure and possible cardiovascular collapse; the airways can become constricted due to swelling, making it difficult to breathe; and multiple organs can fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you test for a food allergy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An allergy specialist will take a very detailed history of any symptoms encountered with foods and then usually look for antibodies against food using the following methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skin prick test, where small amounts of potential allergens are introduced into the skin using a tiny needle to see if they cause a red, itchy bump \u2013 which indicates an allergy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A blood test which measures the level of IgE antibodies in the blood in response to specific allergens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A high level of antibodies to foods means the person may have a food allergy, but unless the levels are very high, does not mean the person is definitely allergic. In some cases, the diagnosis must be confirmed (or disproven) by doing a food challenge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For severe types of food allergy, an oral food challenge is done where small amounts of the suspected allergen are consumed under medical supervision to observe any reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In milder forms of food allergy, suspected allergens may be removed from the diet and then reintroduced one by one to identify the culprit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elimination of foods should never be done without the guidance of an allergy-trained doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to manage and treat food allergy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who suffer from a food allergy must make sure to avoid trigger foods. This also means checking labels carefully to see if there are any traces of the allergen in the ingredients. Remember to check non-food items too \u2013 such as skincare or even cleaning products as these can sometimes include allergens too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well as avoiding allergy-causing food, a doctor may also recommend having emergency treatments ready to use if needed. This can include an Epi-pen (adrenaline autoinjector) for people with severe reactions such as anaphylaxis. For those with severe food allergies, wearing an allergy alert bracelet is a good idea, and teaching family and friends how to use an Epi-pen safely is also recommended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food allergies are on the rise, but can be managed. Start by educating yourself and then seeking medical assistance. A doctor will help you develop a management plan that will improve your quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n

A list of allergy-trained doctors can be found on the Afsa website at allergyfoundation.co.za.<\/p>\n

Join the Afsa food allergy support group, or contact Afsa on info@allergyfoundation.co.za or 081-405-8442.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Food allergies have increased significantly in people of all ages around the world, and particularly among children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":299475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_eb_attr":"","_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"0cec92e2-e920-4ecc-bd27-b8d013ce635d","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"","article_feature_type":"","article_main_image_caption":"","article_media_icon":"","article_template":"","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"","byline":"","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[""],"pongrass_image":[""],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-43515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nFood allergies on the surge | BloemNews Express<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Food allergies on the surge\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Food allergies have increased significantly in people of all ages around the world, and particularly among children.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BloemNews Express\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloemnuus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-26T09:00:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"BloemNews Express\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"BloemNews Express\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"BloemNews Express\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/80d72f2891bdddfdd35ed12cd10a5925\"},\"headline\":\"Food allergies on the surge\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-26T09:00:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":860,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2024\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/\",\"name\":\"Food allergies on the surge | BloemNews Express\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-06-26T09:00:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg\",\"width\":720,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Food allergies on the surge\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/\",\"name\":\"BloemNuus\",\"description\":\"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BloemNuus\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/bloem-nuus-site-icon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/bloem-nuus-site-icon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"BloemNuus\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/bloemnuus\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/bloemnuus\"],\"description\":\"BloemNews is a prominent newspaper in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State province in South Africa. BloemNews serves the local community with coverage of regional news, events, and issues of interest. The newspaper provides updates on a variety of topics, including local politics, business, sports, and social matters, with a focus on the city and surrounding areas. Its publication is a reflection of Bloemfontein\u2019s vibrant community, catering to both English and Afrikaans-speaking readers. It also serves as an important platform for local advertising, businesses, and public announcements. In Bloemfontein, BloemNews is often considered a key source of information.\",\"email\":\"bloemnuus@novusmedia.co.za\",\"telephone\":\"051-4047600\",\"legalName\":\"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd\",\"foundingDate\":\"2025-01-01\",\"vatID\":\"4100318916\",\"taxID\":\"2000\\\/018234\\\/07\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/80d72f2891bdddfdd35ed12cd10a5925\",\"name\":\"BloemNews Express\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5ade73cf778a97097108bf55ea61b2a6037a918e9a09aac485202e6c60819614?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5ade73cf778a97097108bf55ea61b2a6037a918e9a09aac485202e6c60819614?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5ade73cf778a97097108bf55ea61b2a6037a918e9a09aac485202e6c60819614?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"BloemNews Express\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/bloemnewsexpress\\\/author\\\/bloemexpress\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Food allergies on the surge | BloemNews Express","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Food allergies on the surge","og_description":"Food allergies have increased significantly in people of all ages around the world, and particularly among children.","og_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/","og_site_name":"BloemNews Express","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloemnuus\/","article_published_time":"2024-06-26T09:00:35+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":720,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"BloemNews Express","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"BloemNews Express","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/"},"author":{"name":"BloemNews Express","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#\/schema\/person\/80d72f2891bdddfdd35ed12cd10a5925"},"headline":"Food allergies on the surge","datePublished":"2024-06-26T09:00:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/"},"wordCount":860,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2024","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/","name":"Food allergies on the surge | BloemNews Express","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg","datePublished":"2024-06-26T09:00:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg","width":720,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/food-allergies-on-the-surge-20240626-4\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Food allergies on the surge"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/","name":"BloemNuus","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#organization","name":"BloemNuus","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/bloem-nuus-site-icon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/bloem-nuus-site-icon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"BloemNuus"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloemnuus\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bloemnuus"],"description":"BloemNews is a prominent newspaper in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State province in South Africa. BloemNews serves the local community with coverage of regional news, events, and issues of interest. The newspaper provides updates on a variety of topics, including local politics, business, sports, and social matters, with a focus on the city and surrounding areas. Its publication is a reflection of Bloemfontein\u2019s vibrant community, catering to both English and Afrikaans-speaking readers. It also serves as an important platform for local advertising, businesses, and public announcements. In Bloemfontein, BloemNews is often considered a key source of information.","email":"bloemnuus@novusmedia.co.za","telephone":"051-4047600","legalName":"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd","foundingDate":"2025-01-01","vatID":"4100318916","taxID":"2000\/018234\/07","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/#\/schema\/person\/80d72f2891bdddfdd35ed12cd10a5925","name":"BloemNews Express","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ade73cf778a97097108bf55ea61b2a6037a918e9a09aac485202e6c60819614?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ade73cf778a97097108bf55ea61b2a6037a918e9a09aac485202e6c60819614?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ade73cf778a97097108bf55ea61b2a6037a918e9a09aac485202e6c60819614?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"BloemNews Express"},"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/author\/bloemexpress\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d796df310bfb4f649c467b3f97f1d192.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43489,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/allergies-becoming-common-20240626\/","url_meta":{"origin":43515,"position":0},"title":"Allergies becoming common","author":"BloemNews","date":"27 June 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Allergy Foundation of South Africa (Afsa) will focus on educating the public about the increase of food allergies and the life-threatening potential thereof as part of observing this year\u2019s World Allergy Week, held from 23 to 29 June.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":302502,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/device-to-aid-asthma-patients-treatment-20220802\/","url_meta":{"origin":43515,"position":1},"title":"Device to aid asthma patients\u2019 treatment","author":"BloemNews Express","date":"3 August 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"A new device called the AfriSpacer, which makes taking medication from an asthma pump more effective, has been launched in South Africa by the Allergy Foundation of South Africa (Afsa).","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46269632f1b747beb6251b526f8b3900.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46269632f1b747beb6251b526f8b3900.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46269632f1b747beb6251b526f8b3900.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46269632f1b747beb6251b526f8b3900.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46269632f1b747beb6251b526f8b3900.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/46269632f1b747beb6251b526f8b3900.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":301235,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/winter-allergies-can-be-reduced-20230620\/","url_meta":{"origin":43515,"position":2},"title":"Winter allergies can be reduced","author":"BloemNews Express","date":"21 June 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Winter allergies triggered from inside homes can be prevented through tips that experts offered to help cope during winter.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/552ec62e7dbc4084bfbfaf9c8fbc769f.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/552ec62e7dbc4084bfbfaf9c8fbc769f.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/552ec62e7dbc4084bfbfaf9c8fbc769f.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/552ec62e7dbc4084bfbfaf9c8fbc769f.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45820,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/rise-in-pollen-count-now-affects-more-20231102-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":43515,"position":3},"title":"Rise in pollen count now affects more","author":"BloemNews Express","date":"2 November 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"South African scientists are monitoring airborne pollen with artificial intelligence (AI), which provided an increasing number of hay fever and asthma sufferers.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/c3ef9d65d94d4544b23fa5d04ecf5f4a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/c3ef9d65d94d4544b23fa5d04ecf5f4a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/c3ef9d65d94d4544b23fa5d04ecf5f4a.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/c3ef9d65d94d4544b23fa5d04ecf5f4a.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":306949,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/groundbreaking-research-examines-food-safety\/","url_meta":{"origin":43515,"position":4},"title":"Groundbreaking research examines food safety","author":"Teboho Setena","date":"17 April 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Dr Pontso Letuka did her PhD on food safety practices on streetfood in the Mangaung Metro.","rel":"","context":"In "Business"","block_context":{"text":"Business","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/business\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Nomalizo Ndlabu (left), an informal trader who has been making a living for over 25 years selling fat cakes and take-away braai, with Maria Maruping, a client.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NomalizoNdlabuvendor_15517.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NomalizoNdlabuvendor_15517.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NomalizoNdlabuvendor_15517.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NomalizoNdlabuvendor_15517.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NomalizoNdlabuvendor_15517.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":302980,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/obesity-a-growing-problem-20220308-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":43515,"position":5},"title":"Obesity a growing problem","author":"BloemNews Express","date":"9 March 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Childhood obesity is posing an ever-increasing risk to South African children.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"BloemNews Express","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43515"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":299474,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43515\/revisions\/299474"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/299475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43515"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=43515"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=43515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}