【明報專訊】Food allergies can cause harm and danger. The Hong Kong Allergy Association estimates that about 5% of Hong Kong children have food allergies. There have been cases in which some allergy sufferers were bullied by schoolmates into eating peanuts which they were allergic to.

Food allergens (致敏原) are food that can cause food allergies by triggering an immune response (免疫反應) in sensitive individuals. The most common food allergens for children are cow's milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, soya bean and certain food additives. The reactions to food allergens vary with the individual.

To prevent unwanted reactions, it is important for allergy sufferers to avoid allergens in all forms. For instance, someone who has egg allergy should avoid cake, ice-cream, mayonnaise (蛋黃醬) and some of the bakery products. Reading food labels about the food ingredients and whether they contain an allergy warning is important for those affected by a food allergy.

(sources: Ming Pao, www.fhs.gov.hk)

■English highway﹕Additives

"Additives" is usually in plural form. It is a substance that is added to food to improve its taste, appearance, etc.

e.g. The cakes in this shop are free from artificial additives.

■Game

Pat and Bill are choosing some food for MoMo who has an allergy to eggs. Cross out the food which MoMo had better not to pick.

■Quiz

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the passage.

People who have food a)______ may be in danger when they eat the food which they are b)_______ to. Some of the most common food c)______ include cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat etc.

2. Which of the followings is/are "bakery products" mentioned in paragraph 3 ? (You may choose more than one answer)

a) cake

c) bread

b) seafood

d) fruits

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

allergy (n) 敏感

vary (v) 相異

ingredient (n) 成分

warning (n) 警告

[Smarties' Power English 第227期]