Peanut allergy is a rapidly growing problem in Australia and around the world.  About one person in every fifty is allergic to peanuts, and many go on to suffer a serious, potentially life-threatening reaction to peanuts which cannot be predicted or prevented.  Fatalities are fortunately rare, but allergy sufferers live in constant fear of an accidental peanut encounter.

Normally, our immune system does not react to peanuts when we are exposed to them.  However, in people that suffer from peanut allergy, the immune system recognises peanuts as potentially dangerous which triggers an immune response.  This response can lead to a range of symptoms, from mild itchiness, rash, and gastrointestinal upset to life-threatening anaphylaxis, with swelling and blockage of the airways and critically low blood pressure.