FILE - This Feb. 20, 2015 file photo, photo shows an arrangement of peanuts in New York. The first treatment to help prevent serious allergic reactions to peanuts may be on the way. A company said Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018 that its daily capsules of peanut flour helped sensitize children to nuts in a major study.  (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)
© AP

From the death of a 15-year-old girl who ate a baguette containing sesame seeds not listed on the wrapper to calls for peanuts to be banned on aircraft, coverage of food allergies is increasing. Are allergies really becoming more common — and if so, why?

The FT’s Maija Palmer discusses with a panel of experts whether more people are suffering reactions and considers the medical evidence. The panel includes Dr Adam Fox, consultant paediatric allergist at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Julianne Ponan, a sufferer and founder of Creative Nature, which makes allergen-free snacks and bake mixes, and Tari Haahtela, emeritus professor at the University of Helsinki, who led a 10-year study into the causes of allergies in Finland and Russia.

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