If you – or a member of your family – has had an allergic reaction to food they have bought and consumed, South Tyneside Council wants to know about it.
Local authorities across the North East have joined forces and are working alongside the NHS to change the lives of people with anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition which results in around 20 deaths each year in the UK.
It is estimated that one in 300 people will experience anaphylaxis at some time in their life. In the North East in 2019 there were 76 cases of anaphylaxis under the age of 18 and one fatality.
A common cause of anaphylaxis is the consumption of or exposure to food allergens – most commonly in peanuts, tree nuts, cow’s milk, egg, fish and shellfish, and sesame seeds/sesame oil.
An allergic reaction can include:
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- Swelling of the lips, face and eyes (angioedema)
- Sneezing or an itchy, runny or blocked nose
- Tummy pain
- Itchy skin (or a rash)
- Coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, noisy breathing or a hoarse voice
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Diarrhoea
If you have bought or consumed food that you or a family member had an allergic reaction to, please report this as soon as possible after experiencing the allergic symptoms. You can report your concerns online via www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/allergic-reactions (or scan the QR code on the poster here). This is the single point of contact for the North East hosted by Redcar & Cleveland Council.
Your local authority will then investigate your concern in order to help reduce food allergy-related illness and deaths.
For more information on food allergies visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy
More information on allergens in food can be found in this video:
