A non-immune adverse reaction to a food, such as lactose intolerance, that can cause discomfort but is not the same as a food allergy and is not typically…
A non-immune adverse reaction to a food, such as lactose intolerance, that can cause discomfort but is not the same as a food allergy and is not typically life-threatening. A food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food that does not involve the immune system. This is the key difference from a food allergy: an allergy is an immune response that can be severe and rapid, whereas an intolerance arises from other mechanisms, such as the body lacking an enzyme to digest a component of the food. Lactose intolerance, where a person cannot properly digest the lactose in milk, is a common example. Because it does not involve the immune system, an intolerance is generally not life-threatening and is often dose-related, meaning a person may tolerate a small amount but react to a larger one. Symptoms are commonly digestive, such as bloating, cramps or diarrhoea. Intolerances are not covered by the mandatory allergen declaration rules in the same way as declared allergens, though businesses still benefit from being able to inform customers about relevant ingredients. For an Australian food business, the practical point is not to confuse an intolerance with an allergy, and not to downgrade an allergy to an intolerance in your own mind. A customer who says they are allergic must be treated with the strict controls that an allergy demands, while a customer managing an intolerance is usually seeking accurate ingredient information so they can decide what suits them. Where a customer describes an intolerance, being able to tell them honestly whether a dish contains, for example, dairy or a particular ingredient helps them make a comfortable choice. The safe habit is to give accurate information and, if you are unsure whether a person means allergy or intolerance, to err on the side of caution and treat it as an allergy until clarified. A diner mentions she is lactose intolerant and asks whether a soup is dairy-free. Staff check and confirm it is made with a cream base, so she chooses a different dish and is comfortable. Had staff instead treated her request casually and guessed, she might have had an unpleasant reaction; and had she said allergy rather than intolerance, the same accurate-information habit would have protected her.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a food intolerance and a food allergy?
A food allergy is an immune-system reaction that can be severe or life-threatening. A food intolerance does not involve the immune system, is usually dose-related and generally not life-threatening. Lactose intolerance is a common example of an intolerance, not an allergy.
Is lactose intolerance an allergy?
No. Lactose intolerance is a non-immune reaction caused by difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar in milk. A milk allergy, by contrast, is an immune response to milk protein and can be severe. The two are different conditions and should not be confused.
Are food intolerances covered by allergen labelling rules?
The mandatory declaration rules focus on the declared allergens that cause serious immune reactions. Intolerances are not covered in the same way, though providing accurate ingredient information still helps customers managing an intolerance make suitable choices.
Can a food intolerance be dangerous?
Intolerances can cause significant discomfort, such as digestive symptoms, but are generally not life-threatening in the way anaphylaxis from a food allergy can be. That said, businesses should still take requests seriously and give accurate information.
How should staff handle a request when unsure if it is an allergy or intolerance?
Err on the side of caution and treat it as an allergy until it is clarified. Give accurate ingredient information, apply strict controls if there is any doubt, and never guess about whether a dish contains the ingredient in question.
