Immunological response

An alternative term for immune response: the body’s defensive reaction to foreign substances, mounted through antibodies, immune cells, and signalling molecules. In the food context it covers both protective immunity — such as the passive protection infants receive through colostrum — and harmful overreactions, including the allergic responses that make allergen control so critical in food manufacturing. Understanding both faces of the immunological response is essential for assessing food safety, from novel proteins to the allergens declared on every label.