Dr Miriam Stoppard shares research from Imperial College London into food allergies and where the real dangers are when travelling by plane
We’re all pretty jumpy about nut allergies. Are you someone who believes nut allergens can circulate in aircraft ventilation systems? If so, I have some good news for you.
There’s no evidence they can be spread through aircraft ventilation. Indeed, a study actually shows allergic reactions to foods are 10 to 100 times less common during flights than they are on the ground.
Paul Turner, Clinical Professor in Anaphylaxis and Allergy at Imperial College London, who led the research, says: “People shouldn’t be worried about what food is being transmitted in the air when they fly.
“We didn’t find any evidence that nut particles were able to travel through the cabin ventilation system and cause reactions.
“On top of that, the vast majority of people who have food allergies don’t react to aerosolised food particles, even if they are allergic to very small amounts.”
Instead, allergen residues on surfaces, such as tray tables, and seat-back video screens, may pose the main risk.
Professor Turner explains: “The one thing people must do to protect themselves is to clean their seat area. Allergenic food is really sticky, and can be found on seat surfaces, tabletops, and seat-back entertainment screens.
“If people with food allergies have time to clean their seat area with something like a baby wipe or antibacterial wipe, they are much less likely to have these type of reactions.”
Around 2-3% of children and 1-2% of adults in the UK suffer from a food allergy, which is the most common cause of anaphylaxis – a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
While peanut allergens can be detected at very low levels in the air when shelling nuts, the dust settles quickly and can only be detected very close to the nuts, implying that very little dust circulates in the air.
The research found allergic reactions to aerosolised foods – in the form of airborne particles – are rare, plus air is completely exchanged every three to four minutes during a flight.
Since cleaning surfaces is important, allowing food-allergic passengers to board in advance can be helpful, say the researchers. They noted the US Department of Transportation already requires airlines to allow passengers with nut allergies to do this.
Professor Turner says the next stage is to influence airline policy.
“We’re having discussions with a number of major airlines, as well as patient groups and anaphylaxis charities, to see whether we can get some consistent changes in airline policy across airlines operating out of the UK and internationally,” he adds.
He hopes this will “really make a difference to food-allergic passengers”.
