Childhood is the period of life when allergies to certain foods are most prevalent, but the majority of food allergies are outgrown as the child’s immune and digestive systems mature, often disappearing by the age of seven years. Allergy to food is rare in adulthood, although food ‘intolerances’ seem to be relatively common. It is estimated that classic food allergies only occur in about 1.5 per cent of the population whilst other adverse food reactions are caused by food sensitivities or intolerances. So what is the difference between allergy or intolerance?