Food allergies complicate hungry Americans’ search for meals

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) — For the millions of Americans newly experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic, a particular crisis is hitting those with food allergies and intolerances: Most charitable and government food programs offer limited options. While some pantries maintain gluten-free shelves or post allergen information, most were forced to limit client’s choices last year, instead turning to contactless models where clients drive up and take a pre-made bag of food. An estimated 32 million people in America have a food allergy and 85 million people live in households with an allergy or intolerance.