Summary of Norwegian Food Allergy Registry data

Monday, 10 October 2011 10:25

The Norwegian Food Allergy Register was started in July 2000 as a collaborative venture between the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Food Safety Agency. The register collects information from first line doctors in Norway who report severe allergic reactions to food on a voluntary basis. The register also surveys food products in relation to allergen labelling and contamination.

The data held in the registry indicates the most common allergens causing severe reactions in Norway are peanut and hazelnut, with the number of reported reactions to the latter increasing markedly in the past three years. Lupin and fenugreek have also been identified as emerging allergens in processed foods. The register has also revealed cases of contamination and faults in production of processed foods.

Since its inception until the end of December 2010, the register has received a total of 877 reports of severe allergic reactions to food. The data shows both small children and young adults are over-represented, and the overall gender distribution is 40:60 males-females.

Analysis of the information held in the Norwegian register show the usefulness of such national food allergy databases in providing information for health authorities and to improve food safety.

Reference: Namork et al. 2011. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Vol 8(8) pp. 3144-55.