Hidden Sources of Food Allergens

from Mayoclinic.com, special to CNN.com, January 3, 2006

Food allergies ?adverse reactions to food triggered by the immune system ?are common. The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid foods that cause signs and symptoms. If you have food allergies, it's important to know what you're eating and drinking. However, some food allergens may be well hidden when used as ingredients in certain dishes, especially in restaurants and other social settings.


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified eight major food allergens:
?Milk
?Egg
?Peanuts
?Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashew, walnuts)
?Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)
?Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
?Soy
?Wheat

This is not a complete list; ingredients and food preparation and processing change frequently.

Milk and dairy products

Hidden sources of milk and dairy products:
?Deli slicers. These slicers often are used for both meats and cheeses.
?Tuna. Some brands of canned tuna contain casein, a milk protein.
?"Nondairy" products. Some products claiming to be "nondairy" actually contain milk derivatives.
?Meat. Some meats contain casein as a binding agent.
?Restaurant-prepared steak. Many restaurants add butter to their steaks after grilling, to enhance flavor.

Egg

Hidden sources of egg:
?Specialty drinks. Eggs may be used to create the foam topping on specialty coffee drinks or in certain bar drinks.
?Egg substitutes. Some brands of egg substitutes contain egg whites.
?Pasta. Some processed cooked pastas contain egg or are processed on equipment also used to produce egg-containing pastas.

Peanuts

Hidden sources of peanuts:
?Artificial nuts. These products can actually be peanuts that have been flavored as other nuts, such as walnuts or pecans. For example, mandelonas are peanuts soaked in almond flavoring.
?Arachis oil. This oil is actually peanut oil.
?Chocolate candies. Many chocolate candies are produced on equipment also used for processing peanuts or peanut-containing foods. Cross-contact is common.
?Cultural foods. Many African, Chinese, Indonesian, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese dishes often contain peanuts or are exposed to peanuts during restaurant preparation.
?Specialty baked goods and ice cream. Foods sold in bakeries and ice cream shops often come in contact with peanuts.
?Sunflower seeds. Many brands of sunflower seeds are manufactured on equipment also used to produce peanuts.
?Nut butters. Many nut butters, such as cashew nut butter, are processed on the same equipment used to make peanut butter.

Tree nuts

Hidden sources of tree nuts:
?Flavorings. Natural and artificial flavorings may contain tree nuts.
?Mortadella. This type of smoked sausage, made of pork, beef, wine and spices, may contain pistachio nuts.
?Other foods. Tree nuts may be used in many foods, including barbecue sauce, cereals, crackers and ice cream.
?Household items. Footbags (for example, Hacky sacks) and beanbags may be filled with crushed nut shells.

Fish or shellfish

Hidden sources of fish or shellfish:
?Caponata. This Sicilian relish may contain anchovies.
?Caesar salad. Anchovies often are an ingredient in this type of salad.
?Meat sauces. Steak sauce or Worcestershire sauce may contain anchovies.
?strong> Imitation crabmeat. Surimi (imitation crabmeat) contains fish.

Soy

Hidden sources of soy:
?Peanut butter. Soy may be an ingredient found in peanut butter.
?Other food products. Soybeans and soy products often are used in baked goods, canned tuna, cereals, crackers, infant formulas, sauces and soups.

Wheat

Hidden sources of wheat:
?Imitation meat and seafood products. Wheat flour may be flavored and shaped to look like beef, pork or shrimp, especially in Asian dishes.
?Hot dogs. Wheat may be found as an ingredient in some brands of hot dogs.
?Ice cream. Wheat may be an ingredient in some brands of ice cream.
?Imitation crabmeat. Some types of surimi (imitation crabmeat) may contain wheat.
?Wreaths. Wheat products may be used to decorate wreaths and other home decor.

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