|
Food
labels will make it easier to avoid allergens
October 7, 04
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
For some people, a stray peanut can be life threatening. For
them – and others with food allergies – it’s
critical to have reliable information about the ingredients
in packaged foods.
Fortunately, legislation passed and signed into law this summer
will make finding that information easier.
The new law requires food companies to use easily recognizable
terms on food labels to describe the eight most common food
allergens: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree
nuts, and wheat beginning in January 2006. Terms such as “albumin”
and “casein,” for example, are often listed without
explaining that they are byproducts of eggs and milk.
The law also will require these ingredients to be disclosed
if they are present in natural flavorings, natural colorings,
and spices added to packaged foods. In the past, these catchall
terms did not have to include details about specific ingredients
and masked potential sources of hidden food allergens.
Food allergies are an extreme response by the body’s
immune system to proteins in certain foods. They trigger hives,
rashes, nausea, congestion, diarrhea, swelling in the mouth
and throat, and other symptoms. Severe reactions can lead
to shock and death.
About 2 percent of adults and 8 percent of children have true
food allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma, and Immunology. Food allergies are different from
food intolerances, which seldom cause symptoms so severe.
An example is lactose intolerance, the inability to digest
lactose, a milk sugar.
There is no cure for food allergies. Children may outgrow
them, but allergies to peanuts (technically a legume), nuts
and seafood usually last for life. Emergency medical attention
can usually – but not always – halt severe reactions.
Since there is no guarantee that treatment will work, prevention
is key.
Special challenges:
* Allergens may be hidden. They can turn up in foods served
at restaurants and private homes. Without label information,
you may not know there was egg white in the sorbet. Your only
defense in these cases is to be assertive and ask questions
about what’s in the food. Even then, restaurant wait
staff, for instance, may not be aware of hidden allergens.
Another option is to ask to see labels from the kitchen.
* All it takes is a pinch. Sensitivity to food allergens varies.
Some people can react to nothing more than a trace of an allergen.
* Cross-contamination. A mixer used to make peanut butter
cookie dough can contaminate oatmeal cookie dough if not adequately
cleaned between uses. Again, all it may take is a trace of
an allergen to set off a reaction.
If you or someone you know has food allergies, take these
steps for protection:
* Be prepared. Follow your doctor’s advice regarding
emergency measures, including injectable epinephrine and antihistamines.
* Take nothing for granted. Ask about ingredients when you
are eating away from home.
* Read food labels carefully. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis
Network (FAAN) has additional tips about alternative names
for different food allergens. Check out www.foodallergy.org.
For those of us who do not have food allergies, it’s
important to be knowledgeable and understanding. Someone’s
life may depend on your willingness to accommodate his or
her needs.
For more information, see the American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma, and Immunology web site at www.aaaai.org.
Also new with information and recipes: Food Allergy Survival
Guide by Vesanto Melina and two co-authors, who are all colleagues
of mine (Healthy Living Publications, 2004, $19.95 in paperback).
|
