Extended holidays provide an opportunity for people to gather, enjoy meals, or travel. During festive seasons, the demand for dining out increases, which raises the risk of health issues.
The extended holiday period is a favorable time for families to go out, reunite, and enjoy meals together. According to experts, when traveling to distant places and consuming unfamiliar foods, the risk of allergies is always present. This risk is especially high for young children, as their bodily systems are not fully developed.
Dr. Trương Hồng Sơn, Director of the Institute of Applied Medicine, stated that food allergies occur when the immune system reacts to certain substances in food, typically proteins, that the body perceives as harmful. Different types of food can trigger allergies at various ages. It has been observed that milk, chicken eggs, and peanuts often cause allergies in children, while shellfish, certain fish, and peanuts are common allergens for adults.
Most food allergy cases occur during the first instance of consumption. This complicates the prevention and treatment of food allergies.
According to Dr. Sơn, when traveling to coastal areas, consuming seafood, shellfish (shrimp, crab), mollusks (squid, jellyfish, clams, oysters), and various types of fish increases the risk of allergies. Therefore, individuals with a history of seafood allergies should steer clear of seafood preparation areas, as some people can develop allergies just from inhaling the fumes of these foods. Even sharing plates or utensils that have been used for seafood can trigger allergic reactions.
Eating raw seafood can increase the risk of allergies and parasitic infections. (Illustrative image: Internet)
Additionally, there are some rarer food allergies, such as allergies to pineapple or to certain vegetables.
For adults, besides seafood allergies, allergies can also occur with various nuts such as chestnuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts. This group of foods poses a significant allergy risk, as even small amounts can trigger allergic reactions. Allergies to peanuts and cashews are often severe and can lead to anaphylactic shock.
The most common allergies in children are to eggs and milk. Egg allergies arise from allergenic proteins found in egg whites, including three main types: ovomucoid, ovalbumin, and conalbumin.
With milk, children can be allergic to one or both types of protein found in cow’s milk, which are casein and whey protein. Children allergic to cow’s milk are often also allergic to goat’s milk and sheep’s milk.
In addition to food allergies, Professor Nguyen Van De, former Head of the Parasitology Department at Hanoi Medical University, advises that unsafe food handling practices, consuming raw or undercooked foods increases the risk of parasitic infections and related illnesses.
Habits such as eating raw vegetables, fresh salads, raw blood pudding, rare beef, and fermented raw pork are prevalent in various regions. However, consuming these uncooked dishes significantly heightens the risk of parasitic infections.
Preventing illness from food
To prevent illnesses related to parasites, Professor De advises that individuals must eat cooked foods and drink boiled water, avoiding raw foods and only consume food from known sources.
Regarding allergies, Dr. Sơn notes that when traveling, dining out is often unavoidable, which significantly increases the risk of food allergies. Therefore, before ordering, individuals should inquire about the ingredients in the dishes. If cooking for oneself at the travel location, it is essential to share one’s food allergies with family and friends so that everyone can be cautious.
When using processed foods, it’s important to read labels carefully, as manufacturers may change names or formulas.
