U.S. Department of Agriculture More than 15 million people in the United States live with food allergies that impact every meal they eat. For some, accidentally ingesting a snack that their body deems taboo can ignite a violent biological response. Every three minutes someone is rushed to the emergency room due to a food allergy reaction, and among children, peanut intolerance is the leading cause of throat-swelling, life-threatening anaphylaxis.