Food allergy is an adverse reaction arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food. It has been shown that food allergy impairs quality of life significantly. These patients and their families have to be continuously alert during food-related activities and the awareness that a small amount of allergen may cause severe (sometimes even fatal) reactions contribute to this impaired quality of life.

The research of N.J. Goossens has resulted in the availability of valid questionnaires to measure this quality of life of food allergic patients in eight European countries and the USA. Furthermore, she shows in her thesis that differences seem to exist in quality of life of food allergic patients between different countries. Surprisingly, experiencing (life-threatening) anaphylaxis or prescription of emergency medication (adrenaline-injector) do not seem to influence this quality of life.

Food allergic patients are dependent of others for diagnosis, education, prescription of emergency medication, proper allergen avoidance, recognition of symptoms and adequate measures in case of an emergency situation. Food allergy knowledge and understanding of the patient are key elements in the care for these patients.

N.J. Goossens described in her thesis that important knowledge gaps seem to exist about food allergy, not only among the general public, but also among general practitioners and parents of food allergic children. Recognition of symptoms and diagnosing food allergy seem to be difficult and even the treatment of anaphylaxis with adrenaline is not always common knowledge for general practitioners in the Netherlands.