Deadly food allergies....
- Thread starter traca
- Start date
my allergy is mostly linked to fresh peapods/apples with peel and the enzyme in them, so, easy to
see and pick out or not order. If they are cooked, I'm OK, so I'm not really worried so much about "hidden" ingredients if the dish is cooked. I always carry my epipen, but the author is absolutely correct that with every episode, the symptoms become more severe and faster to come on, and the person needs to get to the ER as well for the full treatment, and fast.
see and pick out or not order. If they are cooked, I'm OK, so I'm not really worried so much about "hidden" ingredients if the dish is cooked. I always carry my epipen, but the author is absolutely correct that with every episode, the symptoms become more severe and faster to come on, and the person needs to get to the ER as well for the full treatment, and fast.
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
How can I forget you ending up in the ER after making the Soba Noodles with Sesame Seeds recipe that
I posted? What a fright!
You added the raw sugar snap peas and all hell broke loose - but of course you didn't know that at the time until after extensive testing.
So good that you're still with us Ang!
http://eat.at/swap/forum1/83405_I_made_the_soba_noodles_and_ended_up_in_the_ER__yikes__had_a_severe_allergic_
I posted? What a fright!
You added the raw sugar snap peas and all hell broke loose - but of course you didn't know that at the time until after extensive testing.
So good that you're still with us Ang!
http://eat.at/swap/forum1/83405_I_made_the_soba_noodles_and_ended_up_in_the_ER__yikes__had_a_severe_allergic_
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
Traca, if you look at the link I posted at #13668 for USDA recalls, you'll find that a lot
of recalls are due to improper labeling by manufacturers who fail to reveal peanut or peanut by-products in their products. I think the USDA is doing a good job revealing and recalling nondisclosures.
of recalls are due to improper labeling by manufacturers who fail to reveal peanut or peanut by-products in their products. I think the USDA is doing a good job revealing and recalling nondisclosures.
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
Uh, I meant soy, which is another known allergen...
dawn_mo
Well-known member
When I worked at the Farmer's Market,
I learned a lot about food allergies. I learned that a lot of people were allergic to mangoes. It turns out that most people are allergic to the sap on the mango skin, not the flesh, but I wouldn't let people sample anything I had if they told me they were allergic to mangoes.
One day I was sampling a Nicoise Potato Salad, and I had a description of what was in it visible for the public (I was extremely worried about someone having an allergic reaction to one of my products) and I had a woman sample it. She asked me if I had chicken in it, and I said no it was tuna. She looked at me and said that she was allergic to fish. I asked her if she wanted me to call 911 and she said no, she would go back to her office and throw up. Uggg! After that, I would see her walk down the FM aisle and she would glare at me. I called the Health Department to find out if I was liable, and they said no, that the liability was that of the consumer's. Even before that I had a sign in my booth that read:
Before you sample any food, you have the responsibility to determine whether it contains any ingredients to which you may be allergic.
If you don't know what a product contains, particularly if you have known food allergies, please read the label or laminated ingredient list, or ask us before tasting. I had a lot of people thank me for having that sign posted.
I learned a lot about food allergies. I learned that a lot of people were allergic to mangoes. It turns out that most people are allergic to the sap on the mango skin, not the flesh, but I wouldn't let people sample anything I had if they told me they were allergic to mangoes.
One day I was sampling a Nicoise Potato Salad, and I had a description of what was in it visible for the public (I was extremely worried about someone having an allergic reaction to one of my products) and I had a woman sample it. She asked me if I had chicken in it, and I said no it was tuna. She looked at me and said that she was allergic to fish. I asked her if she wanted me to call 911 and she said no, she would go back to her office and throw up. Uggg! After that, I would see her walk down the FM aisle and she would glare at me. I called the Health Department to find out if I was liable, and they said no, that the liability was that of the consumer's. Even before that I had a sign in my booth that read:
Before you sample any food, you have the responsibility to determine whether it contains any ingredients to which you may be allergic.
If you don't know what a product contains, particularly if you have known food allergies, please read the label or laminated ingredient list, or ask us before tasting. I had a lot of people thank me for having that sign posted.
You're spot on with the mango allergy, Dawn. Mangos are in the "poison ivy" family
and the SAP can cause the same reaction as those from poison ivy oils. Of course, mangos roll all over each other in the stores, so even if you are careful to avoid the part where the fruit joined the tree, you can still get "sapped".
I, having had more reactions than I care to admit in public, now put my hand INSIDE a vegetable bag and pick up the mangos and put them inside another bag. At home I use disposable gloves or just stick my hand inside a plastic grocery bag to cut off the peel.
I've never had a problem after eating the pulp/fruit inside. A friend of mine eats mangos whole, skin and all; I can't even imagine how my antibodies would react if I tried that stunt.
PS Geez: If someone were to fly me off to Hawaii or Bali where there are lots and lots of mangos (opportunity) and wanted to bump me off for the insurance money (motive), I've just provided the idea (means).
We might have ourselves a mango murder msytery here.
and the SAP can cause the same reaction as those from poison ivy oils. Of course, mangos roll all over each other in the stores, so even if you are careful to avoid the part where the fruit joined the tree, you can still get "sapped".
I, having had more reactions than I care to admit in public, now put my hand INSIDE a vegetable bag and pick up the mangos and put them inside another bag. At home I use disposable gloves or just stick my hand inside a plastic grocery bag to cut off the peel.
I've never had a problem after eating the pulp/fruit inside. A friend of mine eats mangos whole, skin and all; I can't even imagine how my antibodies would react if I tried that stunt.
PS Geez: If someone were to fly me off to Hawaii or Bali where there are lots and lots of mangos (opportunity) and wanted to bump me off for the insurance money (motive), I've just provided the idea (means).
We might have ourselves a mango murder msytery here.
That was very smart of you Dawn. Those food allergies are nothing to mess with.
My daughter is allergic to nuts, and had a bad experience with them when she was little. I taught her to ask whenever a mother brought cookies to school, if they had nuts. One uneducated mother, thinking she was just a fussy eater told her NO. she had a reaction and ended up in ER. I was furious - that mother was quickly educated and I instructed my daughter never to eat cookies from anyone but me.
My daughter is allergic to nuts, and had a bad experience with them when she was little. I taught her to ask whenever a mother brought cookies to school, if they had nuts. One uneducated mother, thinking she was just a fussy eater told her NO. she had a reaction and ended up in ER. I was furious - that mother was quickly educated and I instructed my daughter never to eat cookies from anyone but me.
dawn_mo
Well-known member
I was fanatical about my labeling too.
I remember one kitchen I was working out of, I was trying to convince the woman who I rented it from to switch over to a canola or vegetable for the deep fryer because I was making tortilla chips for a market where people were very health conscious, and she told me just to tell them that I used canola oil and continue to use the lard. Ummm, NO! Sheesh!
I never made that potato salad again after that, and I am still traumatized from that whole incident. Now when I cook for the teachers at my son's school, I make up a little menu describing the ingredients in the dishes and post it where people can see it before eating. They think I do it because I am so thoughtful, nope, I just want people to know what they are eating. If there is some kind of an unusual ingredient in something I make I label it like Black Bean and PINEAPPLE Rice Salad.
I remember one kitchen I was working out of, I was trying to convince the woman who I rented it from to switch over to a canola or vegetable for the deep fryer because I was making tortilla chips for a market where people were very health conscious, and she told me just to tell them that I used canola oil and continue to use the lard. Ummm, NO! Sheesh!
I never made that potato salad again after that, and I am still traumatized from that whole incident. Now when I cook for the teachers at my son's school, I make up a little menu describing the ingredients in the dishes and post it where people can see it before eating. They think I do it because I am so thoughtful, nope, I just want people to know what they are eating. If there is some kind of an unusual ingredient in something I make I label it like Black Bean and PINEAPPLE Rice Salad.
melissa-dallas
Well-known member
I developed peanut allergy in my thirties. I Break out in hives and get hoarse-supposedly
the next time could be full-blown anaphylaxis. I started this when I had been eating peanut butter & graham cracker for breakfast every day while on Weight Watchers diet plus I was eating asian food a lot at the time too. We ate peanuts and peanut butter as kids, but we were never ones who had a pb&j every day.
the next time could be full-blown anaphylaxis. I started this when I had been eating peanut butter & graham cracker for breakfast every day while on Weight Watchers diet plus I was eating asian food a lot at the time too. We ate peanuts and peanut butter as kids, but we were never ones who had a pb&j every day.
When I made the dessert table for my godchild's wedding, I first vetted the ingredients with
the hotel's chef since practically everything I made had an liquor flavoring. I come from a steel-mill area where family weddings include 300 guests. I personally knew 2 guests were in AA and wanted to make sure the other 298 knew there would be alcohol in the desserts, regardless of how small the amount was.
Then I insisted that the dessert table display the full dessert menu with descriptions indicating where liquor and nuts were used. I put it in a beautiful silver frame and pedestal to merge with the rest of the decor. I figured anyone allergic to eggs/wheat would already know they couldn't go there.
Then we put small menus on each table with the 4 dessert titles, again including the liquor names and any nuts.
the hotel's chef since practically everything I made had an liquor flavoring. I come from a steel-mill area where family weddings include 300 guests. I personally knew 2 guests were in AA and wanted to make sure the other 298 knew there would be alcohol in the desserts, regardless of how small the amount was.
Then I insisted that the dessert table display the full dessert menu with descriptions indicating where liquor and nuts were used. I put it in a beautiful silver frame and pedestal to merge with the rest of the decor. I figured anyone allergic to eggs/wheat would already know they couldn't go there.
Then we put small menus on each table with the 4 dessert titles, again including the liquor names and any nuts.
Packaged food is a problem...but not nearly as challenging as dining out.
I still have vivid memories of interviewing a farmer's market vendor and discussing her ice cream base. She put FLOUR in the base. Up until that point, I'd never even heard of such a thing. She thought nothing of it and didn't disclose it. After all the ice cream I make, I would have assumed ice cream was safe, but it just goes to show how easily you can get contaminated and not even know it.
When I waited tables, I never took a risk. I alwasy let the chef know we had an allergy on table XXX and I let them figure out what was safe and what wasn't. They know how it's made and can also do a quick scan of the lables, if necessary. But I wasn't going to assume anything without double checking with the kitchen.
But then people second guess restaurants or don't make it clear that they have allergies. It always frustrated me because I could be a huge help in making a much more pleasant (and safe) dining experience. I'll never forget the girl who ate half the pizza with a pesto base and then said, "What? There's nuts in here? But I'm allergic!" Ultimately she was fine, but what if she wasn't? A little upfont knowlege on my part and I could have avoided tempting fate, you know?
I still have vivid memories of interviewing a farmer's market vendor and discussing her ice cream base. She put FLOUR in the base. Up until that point, I'd never even heard of such a thing. She thought nothing of it and didn't disclose it. After all the ice cream I make, I would have assumed ice cream was safe, but it just goes to show how easily you can get contaminated and not even know it.
When I waited tables, I never took a risk. I alwasy let the chef know we had an allergy on table XXX and I let them figure out what was safe and what wasn't. They know how it's made and can also do a quick scan of the lables, if necessary. But I wasn't going to assume anything without double checking with the kitchen.
But then people second guess restaurants or don't make it clear that they have allergies. It always frustrated me because I could be a huge help in making a much more pleasant (and safe) dining experience. I'll never forget the girl who ate half the pizza with a pesto base and then said, "What? There's nuts in here? But I'm allergic!" Ultimately she was fine, but what if she wasn't? A little upfont knowlege on my part and I could have avoided tempting fate, you know?