Allergic reactions are hyperactive responses of the immune system to generally innocuous substances, such as proteins in food. Some proteins trigger allergic reactions while others do not. One theory is that resistance to digestion occurs when largely intact proteins reach the small intestine and the white blood cells involved in immune reactions are activated.Food Reactions. Allergies . Foodreactions.org. Kent, England. 2005. Accessed 27 Apr 2010. The heat of cooking structurally degrades protein molecules, potentially making them less allergenic.Mayo Clinic. Causes of Food Allergies. April 2010. Allergic responses can be divided into two phases: an acute response that occurs immediately after exposure to an allergen but may subside and a late-phase reaction prolonging the symptoms of a response and resulting in more tissue damage.
