If someone is allergic to something, simply taking it off their plate isn’t enough. Even a tiny trace of the food they are allergic to can be serious.
A food allergy is when the body's immune system reacts unusually to specific foods. That food item is known as the allergen. Most allergic reactions to food are mild, but some can be very serious and life threatening. The only way people can deal with a food allergy is to not eat the foods that make them ill.
You can be allergic to any food. Some food allergies are more likely than others. In the UK, food businesses must tell you if they use any of 14 key allergens in the food and drink they make. This may be provided on a label, spoken or written on a menu.