Journal of Hygienic Engineering and Design 31 Original scientiic paper UDC 616-056.3-02:613.2(497.7) AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT MACEDONIAN POPULATION KNOWS ABOUT FOOD ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCE Zora Uzunoska 1* , Tatjana Kalevska 1 , Viktorija Stamatovska 1 , Katerina Belichovska 2 , Daniela Belichovska 3 , Dragan Damjanovski 1 1 Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences - Veles, University St. Kliment Ohridski - Bitola, Dimitar Vlahov nn., 1400 Veles, Republic of Macedonia 2 Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food, St. Cyril and Methodius University, Aleksandar Makedonski nn., 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia 3 Faculty of Environmental Resources Management, MIT University, Treta Makedonska Brigada nn., 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia * e-mail: zora_51@hotmail.com Abstract A food allergy is a widespread disease, an exaggerated immune system response mostly to a food proteins, mediated by Ig E antibodies, followed by a certain clinical picture ranging from a mild to life threatening symptoms. Eight foods cause 90% of allergies: milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, ish, shell ish, wheat and soy. However, any food can cause an allergic reaction. Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to food that does not involve the immune system. A pilot study to detect what Macedonians know about food allergies and intolerance. A Questionnaire com- posed of 12 questions was put on Faculty of Technolo- gy and Technical Sciences website and answers of 130 persons from diferent regions of Macedonia were col- lected. The participants were categorized by sex and age (from 18 to 29; 30 - 39; and over 40). The results obtained by arithmetical mean and expressed in per- centage were analyzed. 63% of them know what kind of food can often cause an allergy, 60% know about the symptoms, 73% know that allergy can be fatal, 66% does not know how to prevent the symptoms, 69% think that food allergy does not disappear throughout the life, 87% do read the declaration of the food product they are buying, 79% think that the food products are not properly la- beled for allergic substances, 53% do not know the intolerance symptoms and 70% do not know how to protect themselves from food intolerance. Macedonians are quite well informed about food aller- gies, their symptoms and fatal outcome, but are less informed about its prevention as well as about food intolerance. There should be more suicient labeling of all allergic substances on the food products in Mace- donia. A wider population should be included in the survey to conirm these indings. Key words: Food, Allergy, Allergens, Intolerance. 1. Introduction Food allergies (FA) are worldwide spread immune based disease, becoming a growing public health con- cern in developed as well as developing countries now days. Recent indings of this disorder, a subject of inter- est of numerous researchers, ranging from fundamen- tal research about FA pathogenesis mechanisms in animal models and genetic predisposition, to clinical trials and epidemiological surveys studies are briely presented. Furthermore, we did ind poor literary data suggesting what the population of other countries including ours, know about FA and food intolerance, whether they are having a general information about the nature of this occasionally life threatening disorder, or for the diferences between FA and food intolerance, the symptoms, the treatment and the proper labeling of allergic substances since each of us can potential- ly develop food allergy in certain period of life. That’s why we conducted a pilot study with online question- naire, to ind out what Macedonians do know about FA and food intolerance which is presented in the second part of the paper. The results obtained suggest further initiatives that Macedonian health sector and society should consider.