AlleRiC Study Update: Stage 1 Completed
- 20 July 2015
- News
16/08/2013
We’ve been busy working on the AlleRiC study, which is part of the Integrated Approaches to Food Allergen and Allergy Risk Management (iFAAM) project. iFAAM is the world’s largest ever study of food allergies and involves experts from around the world.
We are helping facilitate the study in the UK alongside the University of Manchester, in parallel with Anaphylaxis Ireland and the University of Cork in Eire.
The aim of the AlleRiC study is to develop an online questionnaire, which will be used by food allergic consumers to record information about allergic reactions as soon as possible after they occur. This online reporting system will allow a more accurate, real time assessment of how, why, where and when accidental allergic reactions occur in the community. This information will help the food industry, scientists and clinicians to gain a better understanding of the factors which lead to reactions and should also help to identify the measures needed to reduce these incidents.
The first stage of the AlleRiC study gathered essential information from allergic consumers through focus groups, which allowed families and adults to discuss their experiences of allergic reactions and living with food allergy. The focus groups were facilitated by Mandy East, Anaphylaxis Campaign National Co-Ordinator and Carey Ledford, our membership manager and brought participation from all ages, including teenagers and young adults.
Focus groups were held in Manchester and Liverpool and also in Cork and Dublin, facilitated by Anaphylaxis Ireland working with the University of Cork.
The valuable information gathered will now be utilised in the design of the user interface for the AlleRiC online questionnaire.
We are very grateful to everyone who assisted the study by participating in focus groups and we look forward to the next stage.
More information coming soon.
