When patients with food allergies ate out at restaurants, etc., it was found that about 40% had accidentally eaten foods that cause allergies, and 15% of them had severe symptoms and were hospitalized.
The patient association has a policy of requesting the government to make rules for allergy labeling when eating out.
This survey was conducted online from August to September with the cooperation of eight food allergy patient groups nationwide, and more than 1,100 responded.
In the survey, when asked if patients had accidentally eaten foods that cause allergies when eating out, 43% of the total, or about 490, answered that they did, but of these, they visited a medical institution. 57% needed it.
As many as 15% of the cases were hospitalized due to more severe symptoms, and it was found that serious accidents also occurred.
At present, there is no obligation to label foods that may cause allergies when eating out at restaurants, etc., and it is left to the business operator.
In the investigation, many of the accidents were caused by misconfirmation on the part of the patient or incorrect explanation on the part of the store.
Professor Takanari Imai of Showa University School of Medicine, who supervised the program, said, "It is safe to have the worst case at any time, and it is necessary to reconsider allergy labeling when eating out."
The patient association plans to submit a request to the Consumer Affairs Agency on the 11th to make rules regarding labeling when eating out.