Questionnaire on food allergens - schools join allergen research

A joint project of two schools and two research centres has resulted in a questionnaire based survey on food habits and food allergens. The idea for the questionnaire was born in May 2005 during a workshop of the European project ALLERGENTEST (EC project Nr. QLK1-CT-2001-01151).

The questionnaire-based survey aimed to gain a better insight in the prevalence of food allergies in two distinct populations of families. Information was also gathered on food habits and the families’ knowledge on food allergies as well as the measures taken within families to prevent the occurrence of food allergic reactions. The survey was carried out in the end of 2005.

Participants

  • Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission
  • Department for Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna
  • Austrian secondary School - BG/BRG Tulln
  • European School in Mol (ES Mol)


In Austria at the Gymnasium in Tulln

In Austria, at the Gymnasium in Tulln, almost 900 questionnaires were handed out, most of them at school but pupils also asked pedestrians at a market in Tulln (Tullner Naschmarkt). About 520 questionnaires were collected. The questionnaire was prepared by the pupils with help from the research institutes. Information was collected on the family situation, food and shopping habits, general knowledge about allergic reactions and families were asked to report on family members that suffer from allergies. Data treatment was performed by the pupils of the school. interpretation of the data will be carried out by the two research centres, IFA-Tulln and IRMM.

In Belgium at the European School of Mol

A similar questionnaire was distributed to the pupils and their families at the European School in Mol. It contained 23 questions inquiring about the family situation, shopping habits, food labels and food allergies. In another section of the questionnaire families were asked to report on family members that suffer from allergies. All returned and completed questionnaires were analysed by IRMM.

In parallel, the biology teachers addressed the subject of food allergy within their teaching on the workings of the human immune system, which forms part of the curriculum. Laboratory training in the use of test kits for the detection of food allergen traces in food products was given in the laboratories of the IRMM.

What next?

A detailed report is being prepared.

The study will be repeated either in the same area or extended e.g. to the European schools in Italy and Brussels. Compiling more information may be useful for risk assessors like the working group on allergens of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the allergen research community.



Last Update 16/04/2007