Talking Allergies

I was reading the blog of a mom about her kids peanut allergy. In one entry she wrote (paraphrasing) 'if there are no nuts in the ingredients list, and there are no allergy warnings then it is safe for your allergic child to eat'.

I have found this to be so very untrue. That calling companies leads to very different information. Some DO NOT label for may contains, some only label for may contains in their plant, not where their ingredients are coming from, and some don't label even if there is shared equipment, if they feel their cleaning procedures are good enough.

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DSs 12, 12, 14 all PA

So true, Becky!
Currently, precautionary labelling (may contain...) is voluntary. There have even been incidents where one or two priority allergens were listed in the precautionary label but not another.
One that comes to mind-when the individual called, the company admitted there was a possibility that it might be in the product due to production techniques. They just hadn't thought about that allergen.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy and green beans) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: Oral Allergy Syndrome, Allergic to Birch trees

I agree. Also, never just read the bold allergy warning at the bottom of the ingredients. I've read mixed in with the ingredients top allergens before,but at the bottom where in all caps it sometimes lists the top allergens separately they miss one.

For example if sesame is written amongst the ingredients but underneath in the statement it says
CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY etc. and it doesn't list sesame.

So the label is correct as far as it is listed in the ingredients but just a reminder not to read the entire ingredients every time and don't just just read the cautionary statement.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

And why are there not strict regulations as to HOW the manufacturers should control the airborne particles that may cause reactions to individuals with food sensitivities????

Did you send a note to the blog writer to explain why that is wrong??

We first read the bold lettering to see if it rules out a product then we read the full list.

You may hear my kids say "that one is okay, they label for may contains" if it is a company we have called multiple times. Or, "they don't label for may contains so we don't eat it".

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

No, I didn't. I thought long and hard about it, and as much as I would like to help, I couldn't come up with a post that didn't sound know-it-all-ish. :/

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DSs 12, 12, 14 all PA

You're right, that would be tough. Hopefully people new to food allergies check out many sources!

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

I read the blog and it may be aimed at families who have nut/peanut restrictions at their schools and not for those with allergies. But I still don't care for the wording as it is misleading.

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental