The Rise of Allergies

Whether you are in the food industry or not, you may have noticed an increase in food allergies. There are many theories as to why this may be happening, including the prominence of chemically altered food. Two days ago, we posted a poll on our facebook page asking what people are most concerned about when they go out to eat. The answers varied, but some of the most popular responses were; Gluten, Dairy, Sodium, Carbs and Saturated Fats. Restaurants and Caterers must take heed of these dietary needs or risk becoming irrelevant.

Here are some shocking statistics on the rise of food allergies;
• Peanut allergies in children literally doubled between the years 1997-2002
• An estimated 1 in 133 people are Gluten Intolerant
• One in every 17 children under the age of 3 has a food allergy
• Eight foods account for 90% of all reactions in the U.S.: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish

There are online and regional groups dedicated to supporting families dealing with the challenges of a food allergy. A great resource in the Pacific Northwest (and growing) is The Healthy Edge. Here at Three Chicks Catering, we are sensitive to food allergies as well. Nems Scarim, Owner, was recently diagnosed with a variety of food allergies. She will be posting her testimony on this blog soon… well as soon as I can pin her down to do it! Is there a crueler joke than a Self Certified Foodie and Caterer with a variety of food allergies?