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Growth of Food Allergies and Intolerance in the United States Leading to the Rapid Growth of the 'Free-From' Market

Posted on: Monday, 19 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c24452) has announced the addition of Food Allergies and Intolerance in the United States to their offering

A number of factors have led to the rapid growth of the "free-from" market--foods and beverages specifically made for individuals who have food allergies. This report takes a closer look at the categories that have had the greatest impact on food and drink markets.

Although researchers are puzzled as to the cause, numerous studies attest to the dramatic rise in food allergies in the United States. In fact, the number of children who have food allergies has quadrupled over the last few decades, and the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reports that the number of children allergic to peanuts increased two-fold over a single five-year period from 1997 to 2002.

A growing awareness of the problem among the general public, along with high-profile media coverage, has further fueled demand for free-from products. One out of three Americans believe that they have a food allergy, though various government and medical association statistics project the expected incidence to be between one in 25 and one in 70 (a range of 1.4% to 4% of the adult population). This marked divergence between belief and science has created an active and growing, if sometimes difficult to understand, market for free-from products. This exclusive consumer survey reveals that people with a perceived allergy or intolerance are seeking medical advice and altering purchasing habits accordingly (with or without medical advice).

Considering these factors--the rise in the incidence of food allergies, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, customer buying trends, confusion about food allergies, and ongoing media coverage--it is believed that the market for free-from products will enjoy continued growth. However, growth will not occur in all segments and it will likely come with sharp shifts as new information becomes available. Barring a medical breakthrough (discussed in the Future Trends section), the free-from market also will become an increasingly differentiated food category as labeling and awareness makes these products stand out in consumers' minds.

Though estimates also vary widely for food intolerance, a condition in which the body is unable to produce enough of the natural digestive chemicals to break down a particular type of food, the FDA estimates that approximately 28% of Americans suffer from some form of this condition. The effects range from mild inconvenience to life threatening, and the two most common culprits are lactose (found in milk-based products) and gluten (found in wheat-based products).

More than 170 foods have been identified as allergens, including fruits, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, mollusks, peas, lentils, and beans other than green beans. The following eight foods, however, account for approximately 90% of all food-based allergic reactions: Egg, Fish, Milk, Peanut, Shellfish, Soy, Tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc.) and Wheat.

This report primarily examines the U.S. consumer's attitudes towards food allergies and free-from products, and secondarily on the retail market for foods that are manufactured and targeted specifically at consumers who suffer from food allergies, food intolerance, and who are following avoidance diets. Foods that have been specially manufactured (e.g., pasta) to cater for a gluten-free diet, for instance, are included within this definition.

Companies included in the report:

- Dean Foods

- Hain Celestial

- Vitasoy

- General Mills

- Eden Foods

- Hansen Natural Corporation

- Pacific Foods

- Amy's Kitchen

- Arrowhead Mills

- Food For Life Baking Company

- Bobs Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc.

- Quinoa Corp.

- Lundberg Family Farms

- Ener-G Foods

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c24452

Source: Business Wire

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