Rock Your Palate

Every year millions of Americans have allergic reactions to food. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the percentage of children having food-allergy reactions is somewhere between 4% to 6%  and adults at just under 2%. There are two main risk factors associated with food-allergy reactions. One factor is having an existing family history or having a close relative with a food-allergy. The second is having another allergic condition like asthma or hay fever. 

There are eight foods that account for 90% of all food-allergy reactions in the United States. And they are cow’s milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts like walnuts, pecans or almonds, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat or gluten. Someone who is diagnosed as lactose intolerant can not digest dairy products [cow's milk] because their body does not make enough lactase. Celiac disease is a genetic disorder that makes a person gluten intolerant. Gluten is a type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat and barley therefore can be found in many cereals and breads.

If any one of  The Big Eight food-allergens is used as an ingredient in a product by law must be listed on the label. A facility handling any of one of these food-allergens must, also by law, be listed on all product labels produced at that facility even if it is not an ingredients in the product . It is typically phrased ‘manufactured in a facility that processes… [milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy or gluten]. Often companies will list label bursts that state ‘lactose free’ or ‘gluten free’ to market their products to the targeted food-allergy conscious consumer.

 In the end, its a great habit to develop… to read all food labels. Keep in mind they want you to buy their product so many companies find a ambiguous way of writing food labels… but not when it comes to the Big Eight!