Review of the FSA’s research programme on food hypersensitivity

The overarching mission of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is tothe ensure that food is safe, food is what it says it is and that consumers can make informed choices about what to eat. These are of central importance to consumers with food hypersensitivity(FHS).Food hypersensitivity (FHS) encompasses both immune-mediated food hypersensitivity (food allergy and coeliac disease) and non-immune food intolerances. FHS is a complex, multifactorial disease of concern to multiple stakeholders including consumers with FHS, their families, clinicians, regulatory agencies and policy makers, scientists, food manufacturers and food business operators. It affects around 5-8% of children and 2-3% of adults in the UK, and although rare, can be fatal. Public concern over FHS has grown in recent years. In the UK and elsewhere, food recalls due to the presence of undeclared allergens feature predominantly in food alerts; legislation over food labelling has become clearer, and consumers and producers are more aware of FHS. The FSA has been a major funder of research into FHS for over 2 decades, and the outputs of the research programme has had significant impacts at a national and global scale, most notably in the area of the prevention of FHS in children and the presence of declared and undeclared allergens in food products. Strengthening protections for consumers with FHS is a top priority for the FSA. The FSA has established a Food Hypersensitivity Programme Board to oversee and coordinate its work in this area. The working group was tasked with reviewing the research into FHS supported by the Food Standards Agency to date, and prioritising those priority areas where the current scientific evidence is limited and therefore should be a focus for future research investment. The aim –to make the UK the best country in the world for consumers with food hypersensitivity.