Documentary Analysis Essay on Rotten: The Peanut Problem

Introduction

The reputation of peanuts has changed over the last few years. The documentary Rotten done by Netflix highlights various problems in the US food sector and in its second episode it highlights the peanut problem. According to the documentary, there have been the classic American snack for many years. However, the current generation of peanuts is facing challenges that other generations of peanuts have not faced. There has been an increase in cases of food allergies as a result of the consumption of peanuts. Many children have mentioned allergic reactions when asked whether or not they consume peanuts. Their bodies are rejecting peanuts and even experts have failed to come up with a solution to that problem.

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There was a survey conducted on 40,000 children across the U.S. and the results showed that 8% of them have food allergies. There are 8 common allergies that trigger more than 90% of all allergic reactions. They include shellfish, tree nut, egg, milk, finfish, soy, wheat, and peanut. Peanut is the most common allergy among children. On in every four children has a peanut allergy. Peanut allergy can cause severe allergies. This is the reason why they can be a threat to the life of people affected by the allergy. Some of the forms of allergic reactions resulting from consuming peanuts include throwing up, throat starts closing up, changing skin color, and stomach pains. One of the children being interviewed by Dr. Gupta had to be put on oxygen support to keep him alive.

It is important for restaurants to take customers allergies seriously because these allergies are life-threatening. The waiter at the Indian restaurant did not take seriously the customer's concern about peanut allergies. They proceeded to provide food that was spiced up with peanut. The peanut reacted quickly with her body resulting in all manners of life-threatening changes to her body including difficulty in breathing. Only quick medical intervention saved the life of the customer. Negligence on the part of the restaurant almost caused a loss of life hence restaurants should follow recipes concerning allergies.

Epinephrine, otherwise known as adrenaline, is a hormone used in the treatment of peanut allergy. Using this hormone reduces the symptoms of the disease gradually. Epinephrine causes relaxation of the muscles around the lungs thus enabling the patient to breathe. Each time a person allergic to peanut experiences an allergic reaction, the reaction is worse than before. People with such conditions should avoid allergic foods at all cost.

Today's restaurants have transformed in that they pay attention to details regarding the ingredients in their food. Different customers have different allergies, and therefore, food has to be prepared specially for such customers. The food Bible in Ming's restaurant is a list of ingredients that are used in every item on the menu. The key factor is to highlight the key allergens that may be present in the food that a customer orders, such as soy, peanut, and milk. The waiters have to pay specific attention to the concerns of customers when they place their orders. Customers who are not convinced that their concerns about allergies will be addressed are spoken to and if necessary, they are shown the qualifications of the chef who is going to prepare their food.

The sudden increase in the cases of allergies indicates that changes are occurring in our environment. One of the main theories of allergies involves the population of microbes living in our guts. The population of these microbes reduced drastically due to the effect of modern medicine in this generation. This reduction of microbes and the absence of large attackers have led to confusion of the immune system. Parasitic worms are examples of large attackers that have been wiped out by modern medicine.

Food allergies have become like moving targets. It is possible for children to outgrow allergies that they were diagnosed with at a tender age. However, most of them will continue avoiding the foods they think they are allergic to. This is because they are not aware that they already outgrew the allergy. Only 4% of adults actually have an allergy. However, more than 30% of them have a false belief that they have an allergy. An individual has to show that they have a reaction to a certain food first. After that, there will be a test to show that they are actually allergic to the food.

The two types of tests for food allergies include the skin-prick test and the blood test. None of these tests is an ideal test. However, the skin-prick test is the better option between the two. The skin is pricked and tiny amounts of potential allergens poked under the skin of a person and the resultant reactions observed. If the skin-prick test is positive, then there is a conclusion that the patient has an allergy to the specific substance. In the blood test, a little amount of the patient's blood is obtained and tested for the presence of immunoglobulins.

Since none of these tests is ideal, the only conclusive way to find out if a person is allergic would be through eating the food. This is known as the food challenge. The purpose of this test is to find out the limits that the body can endure after consuming a given type of food. The person sits at the allergies office and starts by eating small quantities of the food they are allergic to. The person has to increase the amount consumed until the plate is empty. If no reaction is observed, then the conclusion is that the person has outgrown the allergy hence they can introduce it in their diet.

In 2008, there was a study that showed an extremely low prevalence of peanut allergy in Israel. This is the Israel Study in Peanuts. The low prevalence was attributed to a peanut-based snack popular with small children called 'Bamba'. Introducing the snack to children at a very early age decreased the chances of the children having peanut allergy at later stages of their lives.

The 'Just eat the food' concept involves introducing a child to food that they are allergic to, in small amounts until the immune system is able to recognize the food as safe to eat. It is not possible for a person who is allergic to a particular food to avoid it completely. This is because there is always a risk that they find small portions in some foods without noticing.

Conclusion

Allergies affect people in cafeterias, schools, and the real world when people avoid eating a particular food. Avoiding a particular food means that the source of the food and the businesses involved in the preparation of the food will suffer. For example, restaurants are at risk of getting shut down if they serve food that customers are allergic to. Hopefully, research will find a way to deal with allergic reactions affecting people around the world.