There are a few commonly accepted theories on the recent increase in food allergies in the United States: a “germ” theory which suggests that over-cleanliness is at the root because people are less exposed to allergens (I’m assuming these people don’t breathe or eat much in addition to slathering anti-bacterial gels on their hands, because they live in a bubble, no?), that increased awareness and better science has led to increased diagnosis (maybe a little, we have no way of knowing, this likely constitutes to no more than a small fraction because the theory does not answer why people are actually developing the allergies), and the little mentioned over-saturation theory where people develop food allergies due to oversaturation of a food in their food supply, meaning increased allergens for example, to a food like rice if rice is the main food staple in a particular geographic location.
It’s interesting that oversaturation seems to make the most sense in explaining the increase in food allergies within our own country given the condition of our food supply, but is infrequently discussed during an epidemic time for food allergies in which emergency room visits for anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction where your body goes into shock, have increased steadily over the years (particularly among young adults, according to the Journal of Allergy and Child Clinical Immunology). What exactly do we have an oversaturation of in our food supply? Pesticides, hormones, chemical preservatives and sweeteners, genetically modified organisms and antibiotics are used plentifully in our food supply and studies have shown they all have side effects that can lead to digestive and hormonal disruption, neurological disorders, diabetes, cancer and pretty much any other human illness you can think of.
The Big Eight. They’re not the eight most important of the 10 commandments or five short a baker’s dozen. The Big Eight refers to what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tells us are the most common food allergens in the U.S. today: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy beans; but what the F.D.A. fails to delve into is how the industrialization of the food supply has very likely contributed to the increase of these particular foods as allergens. The Big eight are stuffed into all kinds of processed foods. Fast food menus are saturated with food allergens. About 80% of foods stocking grocery store shelves are highly processed, filled with preservatives, chemical flavorings and sweeteners, and unlabeled genetically modified material including GM corn and soy, both of which are directly linked to rising obesity rates.
Why is this country producing and consuming so much “corn” and “soy”? Because the U.S. government subsidizes the growth of these crops, which in turn enables companies like Coca Cola and Burger King to churn out a huge profit on sales of cheap, unhealthy, chemical-laden food. Given that soy is one of the eight most common food allergens identified by the Food and Drug Administration and corn allergy incidence is on the rise, it would be comfortable to argue that over-saturation of these two genetically modified food commodities is also contributing to the rise in food allergies, and consumption of GMOs has been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, infertility, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals according to the Institute for Responsible Technology.
The rise of the Big Eight, the increased prevalence of emergency room visits for food-induced anaphylaxis, the use of unlabeled genetically modified organisms, and the increase in prevalence in food allergies all point to a toxic food supply as a major culprit in the cause of food allergies.
SOURCES:
Simons, F. Estelle R., (2009, December 22). Anaphylaxis. Journal of Allergy and Child Clinical Immunology http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(09)02854-1/fulltext
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, (2012). About Food Allergy. http://www.foodallergy.org/section/about-food-allergy
PRWeb, (2009, July 22) Corn and Soybean Subsidies Are a Fundamental Cause of Obesity, Says Leading Author Dr. Sears, of MedWell. http://www.prweb.com/releases/lose_weight/diet/prweb2657284.htm
Institute for Responsible Technology, (2012). GMO Education. http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education
Food Facts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, (2012). “Food Allergies: What You Need to Know”. http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm079311.htm
Leo Horrigan, Robert S. Lawrence, and Polly Walker (May, 2002). “Organic Consumer’s Association: What’s Wrong with Agriculture”. Environmental Health Perspectives V. 110, N. 5 . http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/IndustrialAg502.cfm
Aha! Food 
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