Here’s a case where some seemingly small numbers add up to a big trend. There are eight foods or food groups identified by US law (Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Products Act, 2004) as major allergens. These include milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration estimates that about only 2% of US adults and 5% of infants and young children have food allergies.

Even so, the market for allergy-free or free-from foods has moved from a relatively specialist status to mainstream in just a short period of time. In particular, those products with gluten-free and lactose-free positions are establishing strong presence.