Results tagged “food allergies” from iVillage - Supermarket Guru
Findings from a new study presented Monday at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's annual meeting, in Washington, D.C., showed that a small number of products contain allergens no matter ingredients are listed.
Senior author Dr. Scott H. Sicherer, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, warned that it is the smaller companies that consumers with food allergies may need to look out for. After 399 products were tested, researchers found a small number of food products with a "may contain" label actually do contain an allergen, while about 2 percent of foods products without such a claim also contain allergens.
The research suggests that some smaller companies may not have the oversight to make sure there products are labeled properly and as of now. Its the issue of "may contain"-type labels that was not addressed in the FALCPA. Such warnings can include "may contain peanuts," "processed on shared equipment," or "manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts or milk."
Although egg allergies are generally life threatening, it's the peanut allergies that are most dangerous. Scientists suggest that those with this type of allergy may want to stick to products that come from larger companies.
And remember, for your free Food Allergy Buddy card to use whenever you dine out, just log on to www.foodallergybuddy.com
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How often have you picked up a food product, looked at the ingredient listing, and found the word “gum”? If your experiences are anything like mine; it's all too often. But do you know what gums really are, and why they are in our foods?
Guar Gum comes from the Guar bean (a drought resistant bean, it is used for food and fed to cattle). It is used as a thickening agent – popular because it is up to 8 times as thick as corn starch. Guar Beans are notoriously difficult to digest and anyone who has digestive problems or a food allergy-compromised digestive system should pay close attention to see if Guar Gum is listed in the ingredient list. You should also consult your allergist to find out if Guar Gum is a friend or foe.
Xanthan Gum as developed in the US in the ‘60s and is the slimy result of the fermentation that takes place when a type of bacteria (the type that causes black rot to form on vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower) is mixed with corn sugar. Those with corn allergies should be vigilant about their reaction to this gum and some people are specifically allergic to it. It’s very popular in food production (especially salad dressings and ice cream) as it creates a flowing gelatinous, homogenized texture.
Locust Bean Gum, also called Carob Gum or Carubin, comes from the seeds of the carob tree. A much more friendly gum, it has been used since ancient times for its thickening properties, both culinary and otherwise - it was actually used by the Egyptians to paste the bandages onto mummies - it is now added to dressings and ice creams and is a useful alternative additive to thicken pie fillings instead of corn or wheat products.
Acacia Gum which is also called Gum Arabic, comes from the bark of the Acacia Tree and is primarily used as an emulsifying, stabilizing and thickening agent in ice cream, candy and syrups.
Needless to say, in today’s food processing, sometimes gums are a necessity – but read the labels carefully as you can see, not all gums are the same!
The CDC reports that 4 to 8% of children and 2% of adults have some kind of food allergy. Approximately 3.3 million of those individuals have peanut or treenut allergy, the most common cause of life-threatening allergic reactions. As there is no cure for food allergies, and nearly 80% of fatal or near fatal allergic reactions occur as a result of peanut allergies annually, it has become extremely important for parents to understand how to reduce risk in this area – and how to communicate these issues to their families and friends.
Peanut allergy is different from peanut intolerance, though some of the more minor symptoms are similar. Someone with a peanut intolerance can usually eat small amounts of peanuts with only mild symptoms (i.e. heartburn and indigestion), and their immune system is not involved. A peanut allergy, on the other hand, is a reaction to peanuts that triggers an immune system response because the body perceives the peanuts to be harmful.
When the immune system identifies the peanut protein as something dangerous, the body begins to produce immunoglobulin E (IGE) antibodies to neutralize the peanut allergen. The next time that same individual is exposed to peanuts, the antibodies in their body will alert the immune system to release chemicals like histamine into their bloodstream. Exposure to even trace amounts of peanuts can spark an immediate reaction ranging from swelling and itching to wheezing and anaphylaxis – a situation where the airways constrict, making breathing difficult. Severity of a reaction can vary, and can occur within minutes, or within an hour.
Exposure to peanuts can occur through direct contact – eating peanuts, or kissing/touching someone who has eaten peanuts, cross-contact – unintended exposure from a product’s processing or handling, and inhalation – breathing in dust, cooking sprays or aerosols that contain peanuts. Commonly used products that may contain peanuts include peanut butter, peanut flour, mixed nuts, baked goods, salad dressing and cereals. Traces of peanuts can even hide in candy, artificial tree nuts and nut butters. Sunflower seeds are often processed on equipment that also produces peanuts.
A child’s first allergic reaction, if they are going to have one, usually occurs between ages one and two. About 20% of children will outgrow peanut allergy, but if they still have the allergy by age three, they are less likely to outgrow it. A family history of allergies puts an individual at increased risk for developing peanut allergy.
Though it is unclear as to why the prevalence of peanut allergies, and allergies in general, seem to have doubled in American children over the last five years, some studies suggest that improved hygiene (and the resulting alteration of the immune system) may be to blame. If an allergy is suspected, a doctor can perform a skin test and/or blood test to measure an individual’s immune system response to peanuts. Those at high risk for having a severe reaction should carry injectable epinephrine with them at all times.
Dr. Robert Wood, Director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says that the best strategy for managing food allergies is to avoid any food that triggers a reaction, and to treat reactions promptly when they occur. Individuals with known peanut allergies should be extremely careful in restaurants and other situations where the food could contain hidden ingredients. Along those same lines, children with allergies should refrain from trading snacks or sharing food with friends. Schools should be notified of a child’s allergy upon enrollment, and their condition should be reemphasized throughout the term.
In fact, so serious is this situation that several schools throughout the country are in the midst of placing tighter restrictions on the consumption of peanuts and treenuts on school grounds. Earlier this year, the Rhode Island legislature established its own “peanut law” to help make schools safer for students with allergies state-wide. And some schools, like Temple Isaiah Preschool in Los Angeles, California, have asked that parents eliminate nuts from their children’s lunches completely. More schools, we hope, are sure to follow.
Peanuts now rank as one of the top five food allergies among Americans. Last week, scientists at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University reported that they have developed a method of processing that actually "deactivates" the three proteins which are thought to be the cause of the allergens in peanuts.
Researcher Mohamed Ahmedna’s tests showed that serum from people with severe peanut allergies did not react at all to those peanuts processed with this method. Full human trials have yet to begin but the university hopes to explore the efficacy of the new process with humans soon. This change can affect between 1.5 and 3 million Americans with mild to severe allergies to peanuts with hundreds facing death if the reaction is severe.
Ahmedna was also quick to add that the “integrity” and taste of the peanuts are not affected.
Although it remains to be explained, allergic reactions to peanuts, peanut oil, and related products have more than doubled during the last five years here in the United States, and it's important to remember that peanuts are not nuts at all, but legumes.
Remember, for those who do have an allergy to peanuts: check food labels carefully. Most food manufacturers already take note on their food labels indicating whether their processing plants are used for both foods associated with peanuts or peanut oil and/or whether the food product contains peanuts or peanut oils.
The next step for the North Carolina researchers is to develop a way to commercialize the "new" peanut, and while no information was released about when we can expect to see it on our supermarket shelves, if food development history is any indication, it will probably take between 3 and 10 years to make it to market.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has called allergies to foods an “emerging public health problem” and urges increased research to determine both causes and effective treatments.
Some 12 million Americans, including about 2 to 4 percent of adults and 6 to 8 percent of children under four, have a true food allergy, and one out of four allergic individuals will have an “accidental exposure that leads to a food-induced reaction even with assiduous avoidance of known food allergens,” according to findings revealed in a report published in June by a panel convened at the request of Congress.
Some 30 percent of people who believe they have allergies are mistaken, according to the NIH, and more often, it is intolerance that plagues people. Food intolerance is an adverse food-induced reaction with lactose (milk) intolerance being the most common. Lactose intolerant people cannot digest milk sugar because they lack the necessary enzyme to break it down properly.
People with a true allergy experience an attack to their immune system because it thinks the food is “dangerous” and reacts violently against it. The most common symptoms are hives, eczema (itchy scaly skin), rash, life-threatening respiratory trauma, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal cramping which may be in tandem with a red rash around the mouth and/or throat, and asthmatic symptoms like difficulty in breathing, sudden wheezing or intense coughing.
The most common food allergies involve milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts (which are legumes), and tree nuts. Two other frequent allergies are shellfish (particularly shrimp) and strawberries.
Both children and adults who are professionally diagnosed with food allergies should always carry emergency packs of antidotes such as self-injectable epinephrine, a form of adrenaline in a small device called an Epipen® or Twinject® and wear a Medic Alert bracelet or necklace at all times. Co-workers, teachers, and family members should be made aware of those who are allergic and how to use the epinephrine. Some 58 percent of people who die were unable to inject themselves in time to offset the severity of their reaction.
For more information on food allergies and references to specialist physicians in your areas, contact the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) at www.foodallergy.org or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) at www.aaaai.org. For your free “Food Allergy Buddy” card, visit http://www.foodallergybuddy.com
