Despite the commonly held belief that the food allergy prevalence is rising, food allergies remain poorly studied and quantified, according a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report says that most studies likely overestimate the proportion of the population with food allergies. The task force that developed the report entitled "Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy: Assessment of the Global Burden, Causes, Prevention, Management, and Public Policy," suggests that diagnostics will play an important role in promoting future food allergy safety. The Committee on Food Allergies proposes both improved education regarding the abilities and limitations of currently available tests, as well as areas of future research for improving food allergy-related diagnostics. Both the public and health care providers frequently misinterpret food allergies and their symptoms. The committee recommends health care providers use proper diagnostic methods and evidence-based health care for food allergy diagnosis. Self-reported food allergies are known to be substantially higher rates than when allergies are confirmed with testing. This is often the result of the misconception that sensitization is the same as having a food allergy. However, self-reported medical history is necessary to "hone specific test selection," including differentiating food […]