Most food allergy starts in early childhood, as infants are being introduced to solids. Around 10% of NZ-born infants are likely to have a food allergy by 12 months of age. Their allergy may be indicated by symptoms of an allergic reaction occurring on their first known taste of the food.
The main foods causing allergies in young children are milk (dairy), eggs and peanuts, followed by tree-nuts, sesame, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. These foods cause most (around 90%) of all food allergies, however almost any food could cause someone to have an allergy to it.
A baby with a parent and/or siblings with allergies has a higher chance of developing some form of allergy themselves. However, a specific allergy, e.g. to a food, is not inherited.
Adults can develop an allergy to a food they have previously tolerated, but this is not common.
Recent studies have found the early introduction of foods to infants (around 6 months but not before 4 months) may reduce the chance of them developing food allergies. For more information, see:
ASCIA Guidelines - Infant Feeding and Allergy Prevention
Nip Allergies in the Bub - A Food Allergy Prevention Project (preventallergies.org.au)