A 200-page strategic analysis of the 2009-2014 world outlook for food allergy and intolerance products across more than 200 countries was published in September 2008. For each year reported, estimates are given for the latent demand, or potential industry earnings (PIE), for the country in question (in millions of U.S. dollars), the percent share the country is of the region and of the globe.

Criminal abuse charges were dropped against two mental health centre employees who were blamed in the death of a former Chicago man fed fish at the centre despite warnings that he was allergic, the Chicago Tribune has reported.

Professor Hugh Sampson and associates have published an editorial in the current issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology to address the question of whether the magnitude of the increased incidence of anaphylaxis warrants the designation ‘epidemic’.

Spelt is thought to have originated in about 8000 BCE – before bread wheat – as a hybrid of emmer wheat and goat grass. However, it is a close relative of wheat, so even though spelt is wheat free, it is not gluten free. Therefore, it is still unsuitable for sufferers of coeliac disease, and some people who have a wheat intolerance may still react to spelt.