The allergenicity of edible oils

Food allergies are caused by proteins in food. These naturally occurring proteins are referred to as allergens, and the vast majority of them are resistant to heat and digestion. While there are tens of thousands of proteins in any one food, only a few are allergenic. The mechanism by which food allergies are initiated is through the action of specific antibodies. These antibodies are part of the body’s defense system and their role is to attack "foreign" substances encountered in the bloodstream. In food allergic individuals these antibodies attack the protein components of certain foods, resulting in allergic reactions.