Information in this section pertains to all global PEN® partners except where country flags are
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Food allergies or food hypersensitivities are due to IgE-mediated or non-IgE mediated immune mechanisms (1). Food allergy can be precipitated by IgE antibody production against food antigens resulting in the release of pro-inflammatory mediators. IgE-mediated allergy is the cause of immediate, life-threatening reactions. Food allergy can also be precipitated by a cell-mediated reaction, in which lymphocytes play a key role in promoting the inflammatory process (2). The term atopy is used