Peanuts are one of the most common food allergens in the world, and they have become an enemy for many in recent years. Peanut allergies are known to be life-threatening, but only a few people who suffer from them react with such extreme severity when exposed to peanuts. Although peanut allergies have been around for a long time, it seems that they were rarely heard of until the 1980s. Over the past decade, peanut allergies have become the center of attention and controversy among media. However, the media is not as accurate as the public believes. Sensationalist media reports, particularly those published in the United States, about peanut allergy have caused unnecessary public concern, creating a spectacle bigger than it is made out to be. A food allergy is an exaggerated immune response triggered by a particular protein present in an allergen. Different people have different allergic reactions; ranging from mild to life-threatening, resulting in an anaphylactic reaction. Symptoms of allergic diseases may be caused by exposure of the skin to a chemical, of the respiratory system to particles of dust or any other substance, or of the stomach and intestines to a particular food ("What is a food allergy? Over the past few decades, there appears to be increased media and medical interest in the subject of allergies in general, but especially peanut allergies. According to Princeton University researcher Miranda Wagoner, no medical research programs could be found until the 1980s. Are peanut allergies really becoming more serious and widespread to the point that the medical community is now devoting a little more effort to study this disease? Or are people just more aware now that words travel faster than ever throughout the entire world...... middle of paper......ics. Internet. February 25, 2014. Hunter, Marnie. “Peanuts on planes protected by law.” CNN. Np, and Web. February 17, 2014. Karp, George. “Mom is working to put food allergies on the airline radar.” Chicago Tribune February 11, 2014: n. page. Chicago Tribune. Internet. February 21, 2014. “Seafood Allergy.” Allergist. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, nd Web. February 25, 2014. Sicherer, Scott H. et al. "United States prevalence of self-reported peanut, tree nut, and sesame allergy: 11-year follow-up." Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 125.6 (2010): 1322-26. The Journal of Allergy and of Clinical Immunology. February 13, 2014. Wagoner, Miranda R. “Analyzing the peanut panic: the social life of a contested food allergy epidemic.” ELSEVIER, May 6, 2013. Web. “What is food allergy?” National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, March 13.. 2014.