<p><b><i>Background:</i></b> Food allergy (FA) prevalence has increased
in the last decades, but epidemiologic studies could show overestimated
results. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of
immediate FA in adults in a region of Central Brazil, using a
questionnaire to try to reduce misperceptions about FA reaction. <b><i>Methods:</i></b>
A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling an adult population
aged 18-65 years comprised of families in a Central Brazilian city. In
the first phase, participants answered a self-administered questionnaire
for FA screening. In the second phase, the participants who reported an
FA in the first questionnaire were visited to complete the second
questionnaire applied by trained researchers. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of
the 4,916 adults visited, 1,583 returned a completed questionnaire.
Reported FA occurred in 171 (10.8%) subjects, and the more frequent
citations were cow's milk, pork, fruits, shrimp, and vegetables. One
hundred and four of these individuals completed the second
questionnaire, and 15 (1.0%) were considered to have an FA diagnosis.
The main foods were fruits, followed by cow's milk, shrimp, pork, and
vegetables. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> After use of a specific
questionnaire to recognize possible IgE-mediated FAs, a low frequency of
FA was considered in this population. Use of a directed questionnaire
administered by trained researchers could be an alternative for
epidemiological IgE-mediated FA studies to achieve more accurate
results.</p