Onespot Allergy Blog

ALLERGEN ALERT: Maple Leaf “Natural Selections” Contain Nitrites

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:03:08 +0000

I’ve been paying a premium price for Maple Leaf Natural Selections sliced ham, turkey, and chicken since they were introduced, in an effort to avoid nitrites. Maple Leaf Foods markets them as all natural. I was already skeptical about that claim, since the meat looks the same, tastes the same, and has a long shelf life like regular lunch meat. Last night, after testing by CBC Marketplace, it was revealed that Maple Leaf Natural Selections prepared meats contain nitrites.

On the Maple Leaf website, they state that “We removed artificial preservatives and replaced them with sea salt, lemon juice and cultured celery extract, which are natural preservatives.” It would be more accurate to state that cultured celery extract is a natural source of nitrite (celery is loaded with nitrate), or that they’re using nitrate derived from celery. When asked to compare cultured celery extract to sodium nitrate in this CBC news article, nutrition expert Dr. Yoni Freedhoff says “for all intents and purposes it is bio-chemically identical.”

In response to the Marketplace findings, Randy Huffman, chief product safety officer with Maple Leaf Foods said “We care deeply about the integrity of the products that we produce and the labeling is accurate. Nitrite is very misunderstood. Nitrite is actually part of a healthy, balanced diet, it’s in a variety of foods that we eat every day.” and added that the company’s labels were developed in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. However, the company subsequently sent an email to Marketplace advising that it would change its Natural Selections labels to include the fact that the products contain nitrite.

This statement was made by Maple Leaf Foods on its Facebook page:

Maple Leaf Natural Selections was developed because consumers told us they wanted products that contained simpler, fewer, more natural ingredients. We removed artificial preservatives and replaced them with natural ingredients. We took out sodium nitrite, sodium phosphate, erythorbate and potassium lactate and added lemon juice, vinegar, sea salt and cultured celery extract. Cultured celery extract is a natural source of nitrite. It is celery fermented with bacteria, similar to how yoghurt and beer is made.

Our labels identify all ingredients. Nitrite is an ingredient within an ingredient – in this case sea salt and cultured celery extract.

We care deeply about what consumers think and we’re changing our label to provide even more information. We have received approval from the CFIA to change the label on the front of our Maple Leaf Natural Selections / Schneiders Country Naturals packages to include No Preservatives Added* *Beyond those naturally occurring preservatives and nitrites in the ingredients. On the back panels we are adding Sea Salt and Cultured Celery Extract Contain Naturally Occurring Nitrites.

We are providing this extra information for interested consumers that goes well beyond regulatory requirements or the practice of most food companies. We expect to have these new labels in market within the next three months. (emphasis added)

This highlights an important issue affecting all consumers trying to avoid nitrates, and a life and death issue for Canadians with food allergies: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency only requires the top 8 allergens (and ingredients derived from) them to be disclosed by name. These top 8 allergens are dairy, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.

So, when I read a label and I see “natural flavoring”, I can be fairly confident that if it were peanut derived, it would say that the product contains peanuts. Those allergic to nitrates aren’t so lucky. Their allergen can be referred to legally as “cultured celery extract” and the packaging can say “no nitrites added” since the nitrates are in the celery and nitrates aren’t a top 8 allergen.

I didn’t know that celery contains nitrate. Not everyone with a nitrate allergy would know this, and they could easily decide that because of Maple Leaf’s legally correct but misleading packaging that the product is safe for them to eat.

I wonder how many calls Maple Leaf customer service received from nitrate allergic consumers reporting allergic reactions. Is it worth it to expose consumers to these risks in an effort to sell an “all natural” product at a higher price? In my opinion, when allergic consumers can’t make informed choices, it is NOT worth the risk of allergic injury and death that may result.

Though I wish you had done so in the first place, thank you Maple Leaf Foods for deciding to change your Natural Selections packaging to disclose that these products contain nitrite. I just wish you had done so in the first place.

* If you found this post helpful, I would love for you to use the “Sharing Is Caring” bar (below) to share this post via Facebook or Twitter. If you’re reading this as an e-mail message, you need to jump over to my blog first by clicking here.

Allergy Legal Expert, Elizabeth Goldenberg, on CBC News

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:14:27 +0000

I’m thrilled to report that within one hour of publishing this article on food allergy bullying in schools, I was contacted by Aaron Saltzman, a national reporter for CBC. He felt the topic was of national importance, and we worked together to build a news segment, which aired on Friday January 20, 2012.

Please click here or on the play button on the above image to view the CBC News Video “Allergy Bullying In Schools”. Renfrew, Ontario boy says classmate rubbed peanut-contaminated hands on his shoulder and collar.

Here is the transcript:

It’s sometimes referred to as allergy bullying, kids targeting kids with allergies and harassing them mentally and sometimes physically. It happened to a boy in Renfrew, and as Aaron Saltzman reports, it could have had fatal consequences.

With his severe nut allergy, seven year old Nevin Prevost watches what he eats and always keeps his EpiPen close at hand, but he had no defense for what happened in his grade 2 French class.

Nevin: This boy that stood beside me, he whispered in my ear, he touched me on the shoulder, and he said “I ate nuts for snack”, and I was kind of worried that he did.

It was a classmate who deliberately rubbed what he said were nut contaminated hands on Nevin’s shoulder and collar.

Nevin’s Mother: He came home in quite a panic running through the house and to the bathroom, where I found him scrubbing his face.

Incidents like this are not all that unusual. A recent study published in an American medical journal showed nearly one quarter of kids with food allergies reported being bullied, teased, or harassed because of their allergy. Most of those incidents happened at school.

With the growing awareness of the consequences of bullying, many school boards have started anti-bullying programs along with intervention and prevention policies. But few mention food allergy bullying specifically, an oversight according to allergy awareness advocate [Elizabeth Goldenberg].

Elizabeth Goldenberg: That child who was touched around his collar, he was technically assaulted.

Lawyer Elizabeth Goldenberg has a son with a nut allergy and writes a blog on allergy issues.

Elizabeth Goldenberg: If certain steps aren’t taken by the schools, by the teachers who witness the abuse and by the principals, they could be held liable in negligence for failing to protect.

Nevin’s Mother: In a sense it’s bullying or threatening with a weapon.

The boy who touched Nevin Prevost is too young to be charged with a crime, and it turned out Nevin didn’t suffer an allergic reaction, but the effects lingered.

Nevin’s Mother: For about a month after, he was quite nervous that someone might touch him [with his allergen] and he might get hurt.

All because of an incident he, and may others apparently, never saw coming.

Aaron Saltzman,

CBC News, Toronto

If I’m Allergic To Penicillin, Can I Eat Blue Cheese Made With Penicillium Mold?

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:39:17 +0000

I received an interesting inquiry the other day. A woman with a known allergy to penicillin had an allergic reaction (rash and swelling) after eating a product made with real blue cheese. She wondered if blue cheese contains penicillin since it contains mold, which led me to do a bit of research.

Blue or bleu cheese has the mold Penicillium added to it, so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-gray, or blue-green mold. Some blue cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form and others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form. Examples of blue cheeses are Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Blue Stilton, or they may simply be called blue cheese. I note as well that Penicillium camemberti is used to make Brie and Camembert cheeses.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_cheese

Up to 27 million people in North America are allergic to penicillin medication, which is responsible for about 5,440 cases of fatal anaphylaxis per year.** It seems that those who react to blue cheese are allergic to penicillium mold or highly reactive to penicillin. I have heard of people allergic to the mold and not the medication, and of people allergic to the medication and not the mold.

If you’re penicillin allergic or have any other reason to feel concerned, please proceed with caution if you eat blue cheese: Ask your allergist to test you for reaction to penicllium mold. It’s possible that you’re not only allergic to the medication, but that you’re allergic to penicillium mold too, in which case eating blue cheese may cause you to have an allergic reaction.

** Bochner BS, Lichtenstein LM. Anaphylaxis. N Engl J Med. 1991;324:1785.

Epinephrine Saves Lives For Anaphylaxis AND Severe Asthma Attacks

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:05:09 +0000

By Dr. Paul Ehrlich**

Naishel Kelly, age 14, died January 9, 2012

Several of our American readers responded quickly to an article in Monday’s British Daily Mail to news that a 14-year-old girl, Naishel Kelly, died very soon after reporting difficulty breathing. “She was taken to the school nurse’s office where she collapsed. Paramedics rushed her to the Royal Sussex County Hospital but she was pronounced dead on arrival. There were suggestions that Naishel, who had a nut allergy, had eaten a chocolate brownie for lunch. However, a police spokesperson said this wasn’t a factor in her death.”

I have several thoughts reading this. First, my sympathies to the family for their terrible loss.

Second, I wonder at the police spokesperson’s instant dismissal of nut allergy as a factor. I suggest he or she wait for the autopsy.

Third, and more important that the police pronouncement, it points to the overlap of asthma and food allergy (emphasis added by Onespot Allergy). The two are often discussed as if there were no connection. There’s a reason why we must look at both together. The best research shows that fatal food allergy anaphylaxis most often results when epinephrine isn’t available or when an individual also has poorly controlled asthma. As in many other aspects of allergic medicine and medicine in general, there are very few discrete categories. Epinephrine is the best emergency treatment for acute anaphylaxis and for severe asthma attacks.

Asthma is a condition of the lower airways. During an asthma attack, bronchoconstriction—narrowing of the airways—makes it difficult for the lungs to process healthy volumes of air. It also makes it hard to expel mucus that has formed in response to, say, pollens, dust or diesel particulates. If there is enough mucus, it forms a plug that can be fatal.

Food-induced anaphylaxis involves narrowing of the upper airways. When the free flow of oxygen in and carbon dioxide out are already labored because of poorly controlled asthma, constriction in the upper airways makes this exchange harder still.

We continually harp on the phrase “one airway, one disease.” Anything that affects the upper airways, such as allergic rhinitis, has implications for the lungs as well, which is why we urge regular irrigation and inflammation control of the sinuses to help with asthma. Likewise, for the patient who has both food allergies and asthma, the kind of day-to-day vigilance it takes to control the first will never be complete without controlling the second.

Regardless, whether this was a case of food allergy anaphylaxis or asthma or both, epinephrine is the best emergency treatment for both kinds of airway constriction, but the double duty makes prompt use even more critical. We shall look for the results of the inquest, which is what the Brits hold after an unexplained fatality. Whatever it does show, my feeling after all these years of practice is that prompt administration of epinephrine would have saved Naishel’s life. We urge forthright support of the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act to help make such tragedies a thing of the past. To read more about the bill, click here.

To read my thoughts about Allergic Injury And Death At School: What Will It Take To Protect Our Children, click here.

** Dr. Paul Ehrlich is a pediatric allergist, and he is co-author of Asthma Allergies Children: A Parent’s Guide.

Schools: Please Stop Food Allergy Bullying Or You Could Be Liable In Negligence

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:09:28 +0000

Because of my role as an allergy advocate, people often reach out to me when their allergic kids are in a tough situation. Sometimes, the issue is food allergy bullying. Reports of food allergy bullying by students AND TEACHERS have been sent to my attention by concerned parents.

To be precise, bullying can include physical actions, verbal actions, and social exclusion, and it is characterized by:

acts of intentional harm,
repeated over-time,
in a relationship where an imbalance of power exists.

Source: Pepler & Craig, 2000; Ma, Stewin & Mah, 2001

A study published in the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) scientific journal reported that nearly one-quarter of individuals in all age groups have been bullied, teased or harassed because of their food allergy. The percentage jumps to 30%, when the category is limited to children only. Of those affected, 86 percent reported multiple episodes of which:

82% of the episodes occurred at school
80% of the episodes were perpetrated by classmates
21% reported teachers or other school staff were the perpetrators
79% of those bullied, teased, or harassed attributed this solely to food allergy
57% of those bullied described physical events, such as being touched by an allergen and having an allergen thrown or waved at them, and several reported intentional contamination of their food with their allergen

Source: http://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(10)00733-7/abstract

One of my readers shared a story about her peanut allergic son, who is bullied by his teacher continuously. There is a peanut free table where he eats lunch, but she makes him sit at it facing the wall with his back to his classmates, like being there is a punishment. The custodian went through his lunch, took out his peanut and nut free lollipops, and gave them all out to his classmates while saying “all you have in your lunch is junk.” When the teacher permits him to invite a friend with an allergy safe lunch to join him at his table, she scrutinizes them and for the slightest misbehavior, he is forbidden from having a friend join him again for a week.

Another parent reached out to me in a panic about her son’s situation. His Catholic elementary school has a school in the basement for children with mental health and educational needs that cause emotional and behavioral difficulties. The special needs students are integrated into a couple of classes with her son’s Catholic school, and during Mass at the end of the day, one of the integrated children sat next to her son and asked him if he’s the child with the peanut allergy. Her son said he is allergic, at which point the boy said “I just ate peanuts for snack” and touched him all over the collar of his shirt. Her son was terrified that he was going to get sick, but he didn’t feel comfortable telling his substitute teacher. Instead, he ran home from school crying, tore off his clothes, and scrubbed his face and neck.

One mother who follows my Facebook page reports that her daughter had peanut butter shoved in her face by the same girl twice over the past year and a half. I came across this report that a high school student was suspended and may face criminal charges for disorderly conduct due to his actions toward an allergic student. He knew the student was allergic to peanuts, stuck his finger in someone’s peanut butter sandwich, then smeared it on the allergic student’s forehead. Although the allergic student did not wish to pursue charges, the information was sent to the prosecuting attorney’s office for review.

This website on bullying spells out the serious consequences of bullying, but the description is inadequate when it comes to food allergy bullying. For example, I read that the stress and anxiety caused by bullying and harassment can make it more difficult for kids to learn and can cause difficulty in concentration and decrease their ability to focus, which affects their ability to remember things they have learned. Kids who are bullied feel embarrassed, battered and shamed. If the pain is not relieved, bullying can even lead to consideration of suicide or violent behavior. I submit that food allergy bullying is even more serious: Our children correctly apprehend that their life is at risk, so the bullying must be managed immediately and properly at the school. Failure to do so immediately is negligent, in my opinion: Were there a life threatening reaction from allergy bullying, the school is at risk of being held liable in negligence.

About three years ago, a $3.7 million dollar lawsuit was filed against the Catholic School Board in London, Ontario on behalf of a bullied student. The lawsuit contends that a student became the object of bullying and teasing at the school starting in 2005, and that his complaints to the principal and teachers were ignored, downplayed, and otherwise ineffectively dealt with. Neither the parents of the bullied boy nor the bully’s parents were ever contacted by the school, even when the boy was punched during lunch recess and told the school secretary and his class teacher. Later that same day, while lining up to come in from afternoon recess, the bully punched him again. This punch led to a fractured skull and a hemorrhage, brain surgery, and three metal plates in his head.

The parents argue that authorities were negligent in protecting their child under provincial education laws and the board’s own bullying-prevention and conduct policies, and in not notifying them of his injuries in a timely manner. The statement of claim filed by his parents says the principal, the playground supervisor, the office assistant, and a teacher acted with “reckless disregard” for the safety of children in their care. Also named as defendants were the boy accused of the punch and his parents. The London police department investigated the case. Thank goodness this boy has vigilant parents who were able to secure a lawyer and set a precedent aimed at controlling this potentially deadly issue.

The boy’s damages are based on having lasting permanent and personal injuries including headaches, short-term memory loss, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and loss of fine motor skills. The consequences of a severe allergic reaction are far worse, specifically brain damage, organ damage, coma, or death, and one wonders how a damages award could ever compensate for that loss.

There are various approaches to bullying prevention, and I’ve read that the Whole School approach seems to be effective. Generally, successful Whole School preventive responses must exhibit the following key principles:

Strong teacher and adult leadership and strong student-teacher bonding
Clear and consistent behavioral norms
Adult awareness and involvement
Effective (focused and intense) supervision
Involvement of multiple stakeholders
Involvement of youth in program development and delivery
Target multiple risk and protective factors
Focus on early, long-term intervention
Be gender and age specific and focus on social skills

Source: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/2008-bp-01-eng.aspx#a6

I submit that food allergy bullying prevention would easily tie into the bullying prevention curriculum. On behalf of the vulnerable population of allergic children worldwide, I submit that they deserve no less, and for schools to provide less may lead to liability in negligence.

Allergic Injury And Death At School: What Will It Take To Protect Our Children?

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:44:29 +0000

As a lawyer with a passion for helping people with allergies stay safe, I follow news regarding death and catastrophic injuries from allergic reactions at school. Unfortunately, there are many situations to follow. I often wonder why I don’t find many legal decisions regarding allergic loss. There are some, but not many. To send a message, there need to be more.

In December of 2011, I reached out to a parent whose six year old daughter died just two weeks into her first school year. I located a personal injury lawyer in his jurisdiction, and after explaining the situation to him, the lawyer is willing to take the case. I would provide expert consultation to help him analyze the facts and the law on the subject.

I believe that parents are not bringing claims for allergic injury because they tend to blame themselves for the loss. There are generally decisions they would make differently, were they given a second chance. Having said that, it’s my observation that other mistakes occurred as well, which would justify a claim in negligence and result in compensation for the family’s loss. What needs to be shown is fault (something wrong happened, the risk was foreseeable, there was a duty to warn or to take care), plus causation, and damages.

Case after case of catastrophic injury and death involve teachers or school nurses who failed to recognize an allergic or asthmatic emergency. Once they did realize what was happening, they responded slowly and inadequately, by failing to inject the patient with an EpiPen or choosing to call parents instead of 911.

How many deaths will it take until every State and Province in North America has mandatory allergy safety provisions for schools? Sabrina Shannon’s death in 2003 led to mandatory provisions in Ontario schools, but those policies have yet to be enacted in every province: Quebec doesn’t have policies in place, nor does Saskatchewan. Will Megann Ayotte Lefort’s death in September 2010 in her Montreal school lead Quebec to mandate allergy policies for its schools? There are still two States, New York and Rhode Island, that don’t allow school children the right to carry their own EpiPens. When will those States come on board to help prevent allergic catastrophes?

The Illinois school district where Katelyn Carlson died in her grade 8 Chicago classroom was to adopt allergy protocols the next month. Her death may have contributed to the passage of the Illinois School Access To Emergency Epinephrine Act. State and Federal allergy guidelines and access to epinephrine laws are meaningless, however, if teachers and school nurses don’t know how to protect allergic children from exposure to their allergens, recognize a reaction, and treat it promptly.

Will the January 3, 2012 death of Ammaria Johnson, a seven year old Virginia school girl, in the care of the school nurse in a school with allergy policies cause school nurses to take more attentive care of allergic children? This child had a rash, shortness of breath, and identified food allergies, so presenting at the nurse’s office in that condition should have prompted a high priority response.

Ammaria’s school action plan provided that she should be given Benadryl, but the nurse didn’t give it to her. Her parents had attempted to leave EpiPens at the school, but shockingly, they were told to leave them at home. For the best survival rate, an EpiPen needs to be used in the first five minutes of allergic shock. The nurse did nothing until she noticed this poor child’s tongue was swelling, and then she decided to call the parents. They told her to call 911, and sadly, the child was in cardiac arrest by the time paramedics arrived, and she died on her way to the hospital.

Rehan Butt went into allergic shock from candy with nuts provided to him by a substitute teacher, even though his allergy to nuts was well documented. Rehan is the only child pictured below to survive his allergic reaction at school. His mother was on site and saw him put the candy in his mouth then spit it out. His face became gray and within moments he had trouble breathing. What saved his life was that she immediately injected him with an EpiPen and paramedics were called. He suffered two episodes of full cardiac arrest, but because his reaction was noticed immediately and treated promptly, he survived.

All allergic children deserve attentive care and prompt treatment. How many deaths will it take before this happens? If history tells us anything, it’s that catastrophes are not going to effect change. Legislation is not going to effect change. I submit that when legal claims are brought for each loss and school boards, school nurses, principals, and teachers are held liable in negligence and pay damages for these injuries and deaths, we’ll finally get their attention and prevent further loss through proper training. I hope this happens before the remaining squares in the table below get filled in.

Sabrina Shannon

Megann Ayotte Lefort

Katelyn Carlson

Ammaria Johnson

Rehan Butt

Naishel Kelly

Daiya Vegan Cheese: Ingredients & Allergen Information

admin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:56:20 +0000

There was a lot of excitement in the food allergic community when Daiya vegan cheese became available in Canada. I understand from my fans following a dairy free diet that previous cheese substitutes don’t melt, and that Daiya cheese is special because it does melt and stretch. I tasted a sample at the 2011 Canadian Health Food Expo in Vancouver, and it was delicious.

Daiya cheese is made entirely from plant-based ingredients and it’s:

Cholesterol free
Trans Fat free
Dairy free
Free of all animal products (Vegan)
Free of common allergens including: Dairy (casein and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts
Free of Artificial Ingredients
Free of Preservatives
Free of Hormones & Antibiotics
Kosher

Through my Facebook group, I interact with people with numerous severe food allergies. During Christmas celebrations this year, a fan’s child had a mild reaction from a mouthful of a casserole made with Daiya cheese. Her father forgot that it contains coconut, one of her major allergens. This should remind us all that even with an allergy friendly product like this, it’s important to remember to read through the full list of ingredients.

Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds contain:

Filtered water, tapioca and /or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), annatto, titanium dioxide

Source: http://daiyafoods.com/products/cheddar.asp Accessed: December 26, 2011

Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds contain:

Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavors, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), titanium dioxide

Source: http://daiyafoods.com/products/mozza.asp Accessed: December 26, 2011

Daiya Pepperjack Style Shreds contain:

Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, vegan natural flavors, lactic acid (vegan, for flavor), spices, garlic, titanium dioxide

Source: http://daiyafoods.com/products/pepperjack.asp Accessed: December 26, 2011

The Daiya website provides guidelines for cooking and baking with Daiya cheese:

Use the optimum amounts of Daiya on pizza for best performance:

10 inch pizza =110 grams (4 oz)
12 inch pizza =160 grams (5.5 oz)
14 inch pizza =220 grams (7.5 oz)
16 inch pizza=280 grams(10 oz)
18 inch pizza=358 grams (12.5 oz)

To bake with Daiya:

Use Daiya as you would Dairy cheese. For best results (as a topping such as the top layer of a lasagna) add Daiya in the last 5 – 10 minutes (depending on temperature) when baking. This will yield smooth melting properties without excessive browning.

Weleda Products: Allergy Alert!

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:27:08 +0000

Weleda uses sweet almond oil (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) pressed from the nut kernels of the sweet almond tree. The shaving cream contains sweet almond oil fruit extract, and the following products contain sweet almond oil:

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/sweet-almond-prunus-amygdalus-dulcis.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

Weleda uses sunflower seed oil (Helianthus Annuus) in their:

Arnica Massage Oil, Arnica Massage Oil – Travel, Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash, Pomegranate Firming Day Cream, Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream, Pomegranate Firming Night Cream, Pomegranate Regen. Hand Cream, Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil, Skin Food, Skin Food – Small, Skin Food – Travel

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/sunflower-helianthus-annuus.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

Weleda uses peanut oil (Arachis Hypogaea) in some products. They write that “Through Weleda’s refinement process, which involves the filtration and vacuum heating of the oil at a temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the allergen—the allergy-causing protein in Peanut Oil–is eliminated.” I appreciate that this information was provided to help consumers make informed decisions about whether or not the products are safe for them. My choice is not to use products containing peanut oil.

Peanut oil is found in Weleda’s Arnica Ointment, Cold Cream, and Rosemary Hair Oil

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/peanut-arachis–hypogaea.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

The cold cream was formerly called Everon Face Balm, and it contains both peanut and almond oil: Water (Aqua), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Beeswax (Cera Flava), Glyceryl Linoleate, Fragrance (Parfum),Hectorite, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/shop/cold-cream.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

I searched for products containing walnut, cashew, pistachio, and soy with zero results.

Macadamia nut oil (macadamia ternifolia) is found in the Mallow Body Lotion, Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash, Pomegranate Firming Day Cream, Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream, Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/macadamia-ternifolia.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

Shea butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), which is derived from the kernel found within the nuts that grow on the shea tree is found in Aloe Vera Body Lotion, Everon Lip Balm, Iris Hydrating Day Cream, Iris Hydrating Night Cream, Pomegranate Firming Day Cream, Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream, Pomegranate Firming Night Cream, Pomegranate Regen. Hand Cream, Wild Rose Body Lotion

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/shea-butter-butyrospermum-parkii.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) germ oil extracted from the germ of the wheat plant is found in: Birch Cellulite Oil, Birch Cellulite Oil – Travel, Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream, Pomegranate Firming Night Cream, Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil, Stretch Mark Massage Oil

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/wheat-triticum-vulgare.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

Wheat starch is used in Weleda’s Cinnabar 20X/Pyrite 3X , Cordiodoron Tablets, Ferrum Phosphoricum 6X, Hepatodoron.

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/wheat-triticum-vulgare.aspx

Accessed 18 December 2011

Lactate (lactic acid) created from the splitting of carbohydrates through the milk-sour fermentation process is in several products. On the Weleda site, they say that it’s different from the lactose found in milk and that it does not serve as an allergy concern for those that are lactose intolerant, as milk proteins are not contained in lactic acid. Lactate (Lactic Acid) is used in: Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion, Almond Soothing Facial Cream, Almond Soothing Facial Lotion, Birch Body Scrub, Calendula Shampoo & Body Wash, Citrus Creamy Body Wash, Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash, Sea Buckthorn Creamy Body Wash, Wild Rose Creamy Body Wash

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/cultivating-beauty/our-ingredients.aspx?letter=L#

Accessed 18 December 2011

Lactose (milk sugar) is used in Weleda’s Calciodoron AM, Calciodoron PM, Cinnabar 20X/Pyrite 3X , Cordiodoron Tablets, Echinadoron, Hepatodoron, and Sinus Allergy Formula

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/cultivating-beauty/our-ingredients.aspx?letter=L#

Accessed: 18 December 2011

Sesame (Sesamum Indicum) seed oil is used in Weleda’s: Birch Body Scrub, Calendula Baby Cream, Calendula Baby Cream – Travel, Calendula Cream Bath, Calendula Diaper Care, Calendula Diaper Care – Travel, Calendula Lotion, Calendula Lotion – Travel, Calendula Shampoo & Body Wash, Citrus Creamy Body Wash, Gentle Cleansing Milk, Lavender Relaxing Body Oil, Lavender Relaxing Body Oil – Travel, Moisture Cream for Men, Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash, Pomegranate Firming Day Cream, Pomegranate Firming Eye Cream, Pomegranate Firming Night Cream, Pomegranate Regen. Hand Cream, Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil, Sea Buckthorn Body Lotion, Sea Buckthorn Body Oil, Sea Buckthorn Body Oil – Travel, Sea Buckthorn Creamy Body Wash, Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/cultivating-beauty/our-ingredients.aspx?letter=S

Accessed: 18 December 2011

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is used in their Hepatodoron product, a dietary supplement to support normal liver function.

Source: http://usa.weleda.com/ingredients/wheat-triticum-vulgare.aspx

Accessed: 18 December 2011

If you have food allergies and still plan to use these products, please read the ingredient lists with great care. If you do find a product that doesn’t contain your allergens, please also make inquiries about the risk of cross-contamination by contacting Weleda. Their contact information is here: http://usa.weleda.com/contact-us/index.aspx

If you’re wondering if substances applied to the skin can cause anaphylaxis, they can: “When trying to determine the cause of an anaphylactic reaction, physicians and patients generally consider substances that had been ingested or injected, but may fail to consider agents that had been applied to the skin. However, the systemic absorption of many topically applied substances is well known, and in fact is used as the drug delivery system of choice (via transdermal patches) for such items as nicotine, scopolamine, and hormone replacement therapy. It must therefore be remembered that any topical application that is capable of causing systemic absorption is also capable of provoking systemic IgE mediated allergy—and not just cell-mediated contact dermatitis. Click here to the full article by Dr. Jeffrey Miller, Allergist.

Accessed 18 December 2011

Natur-a Brand Milks – SOY & NUT ALLERGY ALERT!

admin — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:04:01 +0000

My search for a rice milk that’s safe for my peanut and nut allergic son continues. Many of my readers will recall the allergen issues that concern me about Rice Dream brand, which you can read about here. I was excited to find Natur-a rice milk made by Nutrisoya, since at the time I could see that the only other milk they made was soy milk. I inquired by e-mail a couple of times to ensure that they don’t make any nut milks in their facility, but I didn’t receive a reply.

My question was answered last month when I saw Natur-a almond milk on the shelf at my grocery store. To view their almond milk page, click here.

The company website says they’re peanut free on their certifications page, which could easily mislead tree nut allergic consumers. That page is here. There’s no allergen information on their FAQ or ingredients pages.

On their health page, they say the milks are free of lactose and casein, and since it’s certified kosher pareve instead of kosher dairy, I suspect they’re not made on shared equipment with dairy. You would need to check with the manufacturer to be sure.

I would also be careful about consuming their Glace frozen dessert, which they describe as peanut AND nut free on this page. It’s made with their soy milk, and my concern is that it’s now made on shared equipment with almond. My rule with my tree nut allergic son is not to use any items made on shared equipment with nuts, so I deem these products unsafe for my home.

UPDATE: I was sent this by a reader who received a reply from Nutrisoya: “FYI our production is made on shared equipment however, recognizing the extreme allergen risks, a thorough aseptic standard CIP (sterilization/cleaning) is part of all start up procedures.” She stated that her son is allergic to nuts and soy and asked what allergens are present on the shared line. Instead of replying with specific allergens, she was informed that “Given proper CIP no other allergens are present.” Allergic consumers cannot rely on assumptions that cleaning is adequate. These products should be labeled “MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF TREE NUTS (ALMOND) AND SOY” or “MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES TREE NUTS AND SOY”.

Zero8 Restaurant Gets A+ From Onespot Allergy

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:35:50 +0000

I had the pleasure of visiting Montreal, Canada recently for a business trip. Montreal has been on my food allergy radar for a while because the restaurant Zero8 is there. It’s a hypoallergenic restaurant free of gluten and free of the top 8 allergens, which are dairy, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. It’s not easy traveling with a food allergic child, and I was thinking that Montreal would be a good destination for a family road trip because Zero8 is there.

I shared with my Facebook group that I was having dinner there, and immediately a flood of comments came in, which got me even more excited:

It’s fabulous!
We drove there from Ottawa just for lunch when it first opened. Delicious food and the owner was just wonderful.
You’ll LOVE it! My son is allergic to eggs, nuts, peanuts, mustard and says it’s his favorite restaurant. No stress for parents either… And it’s delicious too. Enjoy
You’ll love it! They’re amazing. It’s easily in my top three favorite restaurants. Enjoy!
I love them! They catered my wedding and were fabulous!

The restaurant is located in the Latin Quarter of Montreal, and when I walked in, the first thing that struck me was that it’s spotless. So many restaurants just aren’t clean enough, in my opinion. Given that many people with food allergies also have asthma, maintaining a dust free space makes good sense.

The next thing that caught my attention is a freezer near the front of the restaurant with take out meals in it. I had no idea that Zero8 sells prepared food both at the restaurant and in Quebec grocery stores. It has no MSG, no trans fat, and is free of all top 8 allergens and of gluten. Many allergic families have to avoid prepared foods and cook everything themselves, so being able to buy allergen free frozen meals is most welcome.

When I began to review the menu, I was struck by how it was thoughtfully prepared, not only for people allergic to one or more of the top 8 allergens. I noticed for example that there are game meats on it, like venison and guinea fowl. These are excellent choices to include, since many people are allergic to the standard beef and chicken you see on menus everywhere. I noticed as well that they make their own Zero8 ketchup, which is mustard free.

Zero8 is completely free of dairy, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish and any grain containing gluten (barley, oat, rye and triticale). They’re also sesame free. They have excellent protocols in place for customers who are allergic to other foods, and I was informed that they cook for individuals with as many as twenty different food allergies. I have confidence that they can handle special requests better than anyone.

Having said that, I am puzzled by Chefs who promote their restaurants as allergy safe, but keep extremely high risk foods on the menu. A while ago, I eagerly checked out the menu at Chef Ming Tsai’s Blue Ginger restaurant when considering a trip to Boston. He’s a food allergy ambassador and he speaks to the issue of safe dining with food allergies, so I was very surprised to see Asian vegetables and chopped peanuts on his menu, sesame macadamia caramel nut tart, chocolate ginger pecan cookies, and cashew butter crispy bars. I expect that Chef Tsai has excellent protocols in place for food preparation and ingredient disclosure, but I always feel concerned (a controlled level of terror actually) when I know that my son’s allergens are being used in the kitchen. I truly appreciate that Zero8 excludes the top 8, since it truly makes dining worry free.

I tried the chickpea bread, which was grilled and very tasty. I’m vegetarian, and I ordered the tagliatelle with tomato and basil sauce. The pasta was excellent – I loved the texture of the noodles and the flavor of the sauce. My friend tried the fries with venison bolognese sauce and the garlic stir-fried green beans. Both were well prepared.

Before dessert, I took a moment to freshen up in the restroom. I came back impressed: Zero8 uses gluten free soap in its dispensers! This strikes me as incredibly thoughtful. I carry my own unscented liquid castile soap because fragrances and chemicals irritate my skin. I don’t expect to find soap I can use in a public bathroom, but Zero8 has it.

I had the warm chocolate cake for dessert, which was excellent. It had a strong chocolate flavor, and there was no graininess or loss of flavor from being gluten, dairy, and egg free. It really was delicious. I even found the cappuccino thoughtfully prepared, since they use coconut milk in it, instead of dairy.

To top the evening off, the owner Domique Dion stopped by just to meet me. He told me that he became ill some time ago and improved his health by becoming gluten and lactose free. His journey to health not only benefitted him, it benefits the food allergic and gluten free community, since it inspired him to create Zero8, the only gluten and top 8 allergen free restaurant in North America. Thank you, Dominque!

Click here to visit www.zero8.com