Talking Allergies

Hi all,

The first issue of Allergic Living has just been printed and will be in the mail early next week. The small-but-vital AL team thinks it's quite wonderful, but we're excited to hear what you guys think.

So watch for the mag. in the mail, and let us know.

By the way, some subscribers have e-mailed to ask when "exactly" they'll get the first copy of AL. As delivery is by post, it's tough to be exact. In about a week, is the best guess.

FYI, we put the Spring '05 cover up on the homepage and you can see the contents of the issue and some excerpts by clicking In This Issue.

Gwen

Cool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am really looking forward this mag. debute.

Just received today. I sent another posting in about how great it is but for the record.....

AMAZING!

Yes mine came today also, I am so much looking forward to reading it.

Me too! I received mine today. I guess I should say we received ours today as dd (3 1/2) grabbed it and opened it to the Dare add. She kept pointing to the different products and asking "Can I eat this?" over and over. I kept trying to explain to her that they don't have peanuts but we still need to check about for egg or milk.
I think she's impressed to find that other people care abut these things.

is this magazine through subscription only or can we buy it at certain book stores?

I don't want to be critical of this magazine---I very much enjoyed reading it, and think that the first issue is really good. But I am concerned about "peanut fact" number 6 on page 23 which suggests that "highly refined peanut oils" "are considered non-allergenic for peanut allergic individuals."

Theoretically, I suppose, highly refined oils should not contain protein. But if manufacturers have difficulty keeping trace amounts of protein out of foods that *do not* contain any derivitives of peanuts, I would imagine that highly refined oils could also contain small amounts of protein. (But I'm not 100% sure whether this is the case--this is just my attempt to explain the findings of the studies I discuss below.)

There is good reason, however, for peanut allergic people to avoid even refined oils. Even if it isn't allergenic (and the study I cite below from _The New England Journal of Medicine_ suggests that this might not be the case) there is a concern that refined oils This quotation is from:
http://www.allerg.qc.ca/peanutallergy.htm#oil

On this issue, also see:
http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/oil.html

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine even suggests that children can have a reaction to peanut oil through skin contact.
http://www.aaaai.org/patients/advocate/2003/fall/reactions.stm

See also http://www.calgaryallergy.ca/Articles/howmuch.html--- Dr. Goldman's study shows that miscroscopic amounts of peanut protein can cause a reaction. At AllergyExpo this past weekend, Dr. Peter Vadas explained that we don't really know what the threshhold level is--it may be much lower than studies have indicated.

Even Wikipedia suggests that people who are allergic to peanuts should avoid the refined oils. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_oil

I want to emphasize how complicated the whole issue is and to warn people who are allergic not to go out and buy refined peanut oil without talking to their doctor first!

Lisa,
Thanks for your interesting comments... I wrote the short piece that you refer to. The information regarding the non-allergenic properties of highly refined peanut oil was given to me by Soheila Maleki, a leader in peanut research who is well-acquainted with the products associated with them.

Anaphylaxis Canada, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, and the Allergy/Asthma Information Association (Calgary Allergy Network) all confirm her information, but caution, as you point out, that manufacturing standards in Canada are often stricter than in other countries, and that checking labels and consulting with your physician is still important, especially when considering imported products.

I have included links below to the noted organizations and others regarding this topic, in case you or anyone else would like more information on the subject.

Regards,
Dory

Anaphylaxis Canada:
http://www.anaphylaxis.ca/content/whati ... gens.asp#4

Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network:
http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens.html

Allergy Asthma & Immunology Society of Ontario:
http://www.allergyasthma.on.ca/peanut1.htm

AAIA/Calgary Allergy Network:
http://www.calgaryallergy.ca/Articles/peanutsoyahp.htm

University of Michigan Health System:
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_peanall_hhg.htm

Food Standards Agency (UK Gov. site):
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/ ... utallergy/

I'm going to nag every store in town to carry the magazine!

Audra, I'm going to ask all of the stores if they carry it!

Dear Dory,

With the exception of the Anaphylaxis Canada site which is down at the moment, I checked out those websites you mentioned. I agree that they confirm that refined peanut oils are *generally* considered non-allergenic for peanut-allergic individuals, but that is different from claiming that "highly refined peanut oils [. . .] *are* considered non-allergenic for peanut-allergic individuals" (AllergicLiving magazine, p. 23). The FAAN network claims that "studies show that *most* allergic individuals can safely eat peanut oil" thereby implying that there are exceptions to the rule. The AAIA website indicates that there is a slight risk of contamination if a manufacturing mistake is made. The University of Michigan Health System site states: "occasional reports of allergic reaction to peanut oil are reported" but "most doctors believe that highly refined peanut oil is safe to use." It would seem, however, that most but not all doctors are in agreement. The site from the UK makes much the same claim.

The difference in opinion about the potential allergenicity of refined peanut oil might reflect the fallout from a study published in the peer reviewed journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy in July 1998. (vol. 28, Issue 7). (I got this reference from one of sites I cited in my previous message, but I'll quote from the journal article itself.)

The authors of this study begin by noting:

In response to this debate, these researchers attempt to determine whether proteins are found in refined oils. They conclude that, surprisingly, refined oils do in fact contain proteins thereby challenging previous studies which indicated that refined oils are safe. Among other methods of analysis, they did skin prick tests as well as a double blind oral challenge. Some of their patients did react both to the tests and to the oral challenge.

I don't have a science degree, so I don't have the training to be able to analyse the relative merits of the studies. Maybe there has been an improvement in manufacturing processes since then--perhaps all of the proteins are now destroyed. This study was conducted in France so maybe their 'refined' oil is not quite as 'refined' as in North America. But since there does not seem to be a consensus on the issue-- all of the websites I have seen fall short of saying that refined oil is safe--perhaps this question merits further investigation. Soheila J. Maleki's view on the subject does seem to be representative. I would suggest, however, that the magazine might want to get a second opinion on this issue and warn readers in the next issue that they should consult with their allergist before trying refined oil.

Anyone experiencing delays in receiving their first issue?

Mine has yet to arrive...
Thanks.
Tanya

Silly me- guess I sent my payment too late and missed out on the first issue... Oh well... I'm looking forward to the next issue.

Want me to look into this for you?

No worries Audra...
Someone from the publication has already responded to me.

Many thanks - You guys are soooo professional..

Tanya