One in 20 people in UK has a confirmed food allergy, study finds

The Food Standards Agency said the research showed the emergence of plant-based allergies was important to consider owing to the rise in alternative diets. Photograph: Patrick Sison/AP

One in 20 adults in the UK has a confirmed food allergy and nearly a third have food sensitivities, according to the first study of its kind.

The report by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found 2.4 million adults (6%) had a clinically confirmed food allergy, the most common of which were to peanuts and tree nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. Many individuals also had allergies to fresh fruits including apples. Milk and fish allergies were less common.