Food allergens are the substances present in food that cause food allergy. Human body reactions to food allergens range from mild to severe life threatening anaphylactic shock. At least seventy different foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions and several other foods have been identified which have the potential to provoke allergic reactions. Majority of the identified food allergens are proteins. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) identifies eight major food groups i.e. milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans as major allergy causing foods. These eight foods are believed to account for 90 per cent of food allergies and are responsible for most serious reactions to foods. Several studies have been done which identify the major allergens in various foods. The present paper attempts to review the major allergens present in various food.

The issue of children living on the streets is one of grave concern, demanding immediate attention, especially in South and Southeast Asia. Street children live in pathetic environments; work in hazardous settings and lack access to food and healthcare facilities and experience hunger and malnutrition. They also suffer from several health issues, such as skin diseases, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, fever, dysentery, anemia, injuries, poor vision, dental problems, and poor mental health. Adolescent street girls are frequently forced into prostitution and human trafficking. The diseases that street children suffer from are mostly related to their surrounding environment, hygiene conditions, availability of healthcare facilities, access to food, and indulgence in substance abuse. This paper is an attempt to understand the health issues, hunger prevalence, and nutritional status of street children in the South and Southeast Asian regions.

Fast food consumption trend has become very popular worldwide. Globalization has led to rapid rise in the number of fast-food outlets in Asian countries. The present study focuses on reviewing the consumption pattern of fast food among young adults of South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Here a shift has been witnessed from consumption of traditional homemade food which included healthy nutritious locally available foods toward fast foods and processed foods. An extensive review of existing scientific studies in several South Asian and Southeast Asian countries was carried out to analyse fast food consumption patterns of young adults. Globalization, affluence, busy schedules, increase in number of working female population, mass media, increase in fast food production and delivery outlets are some of the main reasons contributing to increasing fast food consumption trends. Several western fast-food franchises are now well established in developing Asian countries. Dining out culture has increased in the Asian society and is socially acceptable. A rapid nutritional shift in Southeast Asia may be due to increase in food availability and food purchasing power. Consumption of fast-food items is associated with increasing obesity rates among young adults. Such trends are also associated with the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as indigestion, hypertension, asthma, and other several diseases among South Asian and Southeast Asian adults.

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