Food intolerance (or
non-allergic food hypersensitivity) is a detrimental reaction, often delayed, to a food, beverage,
food additive, or compound found in foods that produces symptoms in one or more body organs and systems, but generally refers to reactions other than
food allergy. Food allergies are immune reactions, involving mast cells in which food triggers release of
mast cell mediators, such as
histamine when the food allergen binds to pre-formed
IgE antibodies already bound to the mast cell. This mechanism causing allergies to typically give immediate reaction (a few minutes to a few hours) to foods, There are numerous causes for other types of food sensitivities, most of which, in contrast to food allergies, cause delayed hypersensitivity reactions to the food.