Allergy News

Small doses of peanut protein, given for months under medical supervision, can desensitize children with peanut allergy, reducing the risk of a reaction if they accidentally eat peanuts, according to a new study.

In other new research, scientists say they have found a way to predict which children are likely to outgrow their allergy to peanuts.

Both studies were presented Saturday at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in San Diego.

SAN DIEGO -- An oral immunotherapy regimen can help take the sting out of severe peanut allergies, reported investigators here.

Five of seven children with severe peanut allergy were able, after two years of immunotherapy, to tolerate a dose of 7.8 grams of peanut flour, equivalent to eating more than 13 peanuts, reported Scott David Nash, M.D., of Duke in Durham, N.C., and colleagues.

Yet while oral immunotherapy can desensitize patients to peanuts, children who undergo it may not be in the clear, cautioned the authors in a featured poster session at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology here.

Methods: In May 2004, a postal questionnaire was distributed to parents of 220 schoolchildren with parent-reported food hypersensitivity (response rate 74%). Two questionnaires were used: CHQ-PF28 and a study-specific questionnaire including questions on allergy-associated parameters. In order to find factors that predict impact on HRQL, stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were carried out...

ST. LOUIS — People with wheat allergies who have stayed away from beer now have a new option.

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. today introduced Redbridge, which the company called the first nationally available sorghum beer. Starting today, Redbridge is available in restaurants and stores carrying organic products.

Sorghum is the primary ingredient in the beer from the makers of the nation's top-selling full-calorie and light beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Sorghum is a safe grain for those with wheat allergies. Anheuser-Busch is also marketing the beer as an alternative for those who choose wheat-free or gluten-free diets.

Many experts believe the current advice to parents to keep peanuts away from their babies may be making the problem worse.

In Africa, Asia and China, where peanuts are a staple food and routinely given to young children, rates of peanut allergy are lower than they are in the West.

Other research suggests the opposite - that early exposure to peanuts makes an individual more susceptible.

Parents are being asked to volunteer their babies for a major investigation into the causes of peanut allergy.

by Gloria Payne, DNJ

Did you know that almost 12 million Americans have a food allergy? About one out of every 25 American children under the age of 18 has a food allergy. Scientists have discovered that in the past five years, the existence of peanut allergy in children has doubled.

Did you know that there are approximately 150 to 200 food allergy-related deaths each year in the United States?

With the increased prevalence of food allergies, you probably will prepare food for someone with a food allergy, dine with someone with a food allergy or be a friend of someone with a food allergy.

DALLAS - T-H Foods is recalling some crackers that may contain undeclared milk and could be harmful to people with certain food allergies.

The Illinois-based company says its Crunchmaster Sesame Rice Crackers were distributed to Costco warehouses in Dallas and Sumner, Washington.The crackers were packed in a 6-count multipack that includes sesame and cheese flavors. The packages are labeled "Best Before date of Jun082007B."Consumers with questions should contact TH Foods at: 1-800-896-2396.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press

JAPAN - More than 300 cases of allergic reaction to food served in school lunches occur annually, according to the first nationwide survey conducted by Sagamihara National Hospital and the School Dietician Conference of Japan.

Though the survey found no fatal cases, 4.7 percent of students who suffered were hospitalized, with 59 percent of primary and middle school students who had allergic reactions treated in hospitals.

The results illustrate the importance of measures to prevent allergic reactions to food in school lunches, the national hospital organization in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and the Tokyo-based conference said.

The dietitian conference also decided to make a pamphlet about points to remember when providing school lunch to students with food allergies in the next fiscal year.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people with allergies to peanut or almond proteins not to consume certain Café Tasse Noir Praliné chocolate bars.

The agency warns some of the chocolate bars may contain peanut and almond proteins that are not declared on the label.

The importer is voluntarily recalling the affected product from stores, the agency said Friday.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of the product, it added.

2. Avoid serving nuts and using nut oils—sesame, peanut, etc.—while cooking because for children with severe nut allergies, oil traces left on countertops can set off a reaction, even without eating the food in question.

3. Know your ingredients. Be sure that you and whoever is serving food know the ingredients—all of them—of what's being served. They're not always obvious - milk can be hiding in veggie dogs and soy is contained in many prepared foods. if you're serving catered foods, be especially vigilant about ingredients.

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say a pilot study suggests children allergic to eggs can overcome the allergy by gradually eating increased quantities of eggs.

Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center and theUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said study participants who took a daily dose of egg product during a the two-year period were able to increase their bodies' resistance to the point where most could eat two scrambled eggs without a reaction.

"Egg allergies cause a significant decrease in quality of life for many people, so this study is exciting in that it brings us a step closer to being able to offer a meaningful therapy for these people," said Dr. A. Wesley Burks, chief of Duke's division of allergy and immunology and a senior member of the research team.

• What is cows' milk protein allergy? A reaction to one or more milk proteins.

• What are the symptoms? Rash, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and distress. However, these symptoms have many causes.

• What is the most common cause of food allergy? Milk. It affects a minimum of two to three per cent of infants. Other common food allergens are egg, peanuts and tree nuts.

According to the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations, an estimated four per cent of adults and eight per cent of children in the 380m EU population suffer from food allergies.

The majority of family doctors are missing cows' milk allergy in babies despite it causing serious health problems, claims a new survey.

Four in five GPs are failing to make a correct diagnosis and even when they do spot it, more than half are wrongly recommending soy-based milk instead - which can pose a risk to long-term health.

The survey of doctors found most don't trust their own colleagues to make the correct diagnosis of cows' milk allergy - the most common allergic condition.

Most young children who develop an allergy to cow's milk eventually "outgrow" it within a few years. Experiencing respiratory symptoms with the allergy, however — such as wheezing or runny nose — strongly predicts the likelihood that the allergy will persist considerably longer into childhood. That was the finding of a study presented here at the 52nd annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

"We have known for a long time that food allergies can cause respiratory effects," said researcher Alessandro Fiochi, MD, from the University of Milan Medical School in Italy. "This is the first study that shows these symptoms can actually predict which children are most likely to have a longer-lasting problem with cow's milk allergy."

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12 -- Infants who are put on food-elimination diets to avoid allergens could be inadvertently robbed of the proteins and nutrients they need to grow, researchers warned here.

Children taking allergen avoidance diets may develop malnutrition due to the severe protein and caloric restrictions involved, said Michael B. Levy, M.D., of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and colleagues.

by Roger M.Grace

There are various foods which, to the vast majority of people, can be enjoyed without ill-effects…but can cause havoc to the body of anyone with an allergy to them. Among these foods are milk, eggs, soy and wheat—as well as fish and shellfish, to which U.S. District Court Judge George Schiavelli of Los Angeles can personally attest. (Fortunately, his wife, Holli, is quite fond of him and does not slip cod liver oil into his oatmeal.) And, yes, the peanut, subject of this current batch of columns, is also a common allergen.

Peanuts have been consumed for centuries, and been a popular snack in the U.S. since the mid-19th Century, devoid of controversy. But they’re now in the news—and are being described by some as “dangerous.”

The Wall Street Journal reported last week:

“An estimated 1.5 million Americans, including some 600,000 children, experience allergic reactions to peanuts, ranging from hives to nausea to sometimes-fatal anaphylactic shock. With most of the annual 150 food-allergy deaths blamed on peanuts, many schools have created peanut-free zones or gone totally ‘peanut free.’

Whole Foods Market is recalling ice cream bars that may contain undeclared almonds and could be harmful to people with certain food allergies.

Whole Foods said no illnesses have been reported. The recall is for packages of Whole Treat Organic Vanilla Ice Cream Bars Dipped in Chocolate with a best by date of August 2007.

The time stamp is greater than 21:25.

source 

The state Agricultural Commission has recalled a batch of breads from Newburgh’s Maizteca Bakery on Washington Street because the bread was sold without an ingredients list.

The 1.5 pound packages of “Maizteca Mexican Bread” sold from the bakery at 215 Washington St. do not contain a label alerting consumers they contain milk, which could cause illness in people with food allergies.

No illness has been reported in connection with the bread, according to the state. The labeling problem was discovered during a routine sampling of breads by the Agricultural Commission.
Maizteca was previously cited for the same problem in March.

he state asks customers who bought the bread to return it to the point of purchase.

source 

Infant nutrition can be complicated and local pediatrician Dr. Nessa Bayer said the vast majority of new moms feel confident about their knowledge on the subject, but there is still confusion as to how some foods can aid in allergy prevention and development and can decrease digestion discomfort.

"Over the last 15 years, the rate of 40 percent increase of allergies in new babies," Bayer explained.

I don't like posting Press Releases. I believe that many of them may not contain full information on the advertised product. However, the food allergy  and intolerance topic is very important in my opinion. And there are many people who are taking the fight against this allergy seriously.

"Safetoeat products aim to exclude ALL common sources of food allergens so everyone can enjoy delicious, good quality pre-prepared food that is suitable for ALL allergy and intolerance sufferers."

I let you read the article below. 

A new booklet aimed at New Zealand's 90,000 food allergy sufferers provides information that will help them make better choices when it comes to managing their allergy, says Food Safety Minister Annette King.

Ms King and New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) Executive Director Andrew McKenzie launched the booklet at the NZFSA conference in Auckland today.

Eating Safely When You Have Food Allergies explains the symptoms and diagnosis of food allergies, includes information on what to look for on food labels, and has tips for maintaining a healthy diet, says Ms King. The full-colour 24-page booklet has been written by NZFSA food allergy dietitian Amber Parry-Strong, with input from Allergy New Zealand.

It's rare that you hear of someone dying from food allergies, but when it happens, it usually reaches national news. Why? Because food is something we eat every day - several times a day - and everyone should be aware of the dangers of food allergies. Some foods such as peanuts contain very strong allergens that are in the food and released into the air as well. That's why someone with severe food allergies must be extremely careful where and how they dine out.

Food Allergy Deaths

There are approximately 150 deaths related to food allergies in the United States each year. Food allergies are responsible for more deaths than insect bites as well as reactions to medicines.

If you are allergic to shellfish, you can end up in the hospital if you eat something with a protein found in shellfish.

So be sure to check the ingredient label of anything you eat. Here is a list of ingredients to avoid, courtesy of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital:

• Crab, crawfish, crayfish, ecrevisse.
• Any type of clam, including cherrystone, littleneck, pismo and quahog.
• Abalone.
• Lobster, langouste or langoustine, scampi, coral or tomalley.
• Mussels, oyster, scallops or any kind of mollusk.
• Shrimp, prawns or crevette.
• Cockle, periwinkle or sea urchin.

source

MILWAUKEE - When Colleen Pfaff was a toddler, her father forgot to wash his hands after handling blue cheese for a salad, and lifted Colleen into the tub to give her a bath.

Hand-shaped welts immediately appeared on Colleen’s body. Her immune system had reacted to milk protein still on his hands.

The welts subsided after washing with soap and water. But it was a painful lesson in how little it can take to trigger an allergic reaction to food.

CHICAGO, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- A "Multi-Lingual Phrase Passport" is part of the U.S. "Let's Eat Out! Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free" guide for those with food allergies.

The pocket-sized guide empowers travelers with food allergies, such as celiac -- an auto-immune disorder reflected in a permanent intolerance to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye and barley -- and those following specialized diets to safely eat outside the home.

Emerald Coast consumers are cautioned to a product recall due to undeclared dairy ingredients in certain rice and pasta side-dish mixes.

Unilever of Englewood Cliffs, the New Jersey producer of Knorr®-Lipton® "Sides", has issued a voluntary recall on several of its paste and rice products because of an allergy alert on undeclared milk in certain mixes after two reports of consumers experiencing adverse reactions.

The products, all of which were manufactured in one facility, are listed below:

Once again I came across the opinion that germs-free environment is actually bad for children.

The original article is below

SYDNEY, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Australian researchers find that although soy infant formulas are used to avoid food allergies, there is no proof that soy formulas cut allergy risk.

"There is no evidence that using any type of formula is better than exclusive breastfeeding for prevention of allergy," said study authors Dr. David Osborn of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Dr. John Sinn of Westmead Hospital.

"Specialized formulas should be restricted to situations where infants cannot exclusively breastfeed or when an infant develops a specific food allergy or hypersensitivity."