Witchcraft, a fad, or a racket? food allergy in historical perspective

When most people think of food allergy, they think of peanuts. And rightly so. Peanuts are among the most common food allergens and can trigger fatal anaphylactic reactions. Rates of peanut allergy are also increasing, though no one understands why. Because of their potency, peanuts have been banned from many public spaces, including schools, childcare facilities, airplanes, food production facilities, and even sports stadia. Once a fixture of Edmonton Eskimo games, peanuts are now banned from Commonwealth Stadium. Peanut butter sandwiches are similarly unwelcome in many schools today, with one Florida school even enlisting peanut-sniffing dogs to prevent accidental exposure. Such bans, along with legislative measures to stock schools with epinephrine injectors, signify just how serious peanut allergy – and food allergy more generally - is taken in 2015.