Ask a Dietitian

In Canada over 1.2 million people are affected by food allergies and these numbers are increasing, particularly among children.

People with food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances must avoid specific foods and ingredients to stay healthy.  Certain allergenic proteins or irritants can cause the body’s immune system to react strongly resulting in an allergic reaction and in some cases anaphylactic reactions which can be fatal.  Reactions can occur in the respiratory system, GI tract, skin or cardiovascular system.

Food intolerance is a sensitivity that does not involve the individual’s immune system and symptoms usually originate in the GI system and are usually caused by an inability to digest or absorb certain foods or components.  Ex: lactose intolerance, the lack of the enzyme lactase leads to an inability to digest lactose leading to cramping, bloating and diarrhea.

10 priority allergens have been identified as those substances most commonly associated with allergic reactions.

Peanuts

Eggs

Milk

Tree Nuts

Wheat

Soy

Sesame seeds

Seafood (fish, shellfish and crustaceans)

Sulphites

Mustard

Symptoms of allergic reactions

Flushed or pale face, hives, rash, eczema, red and itchy skin

Itchy lips or tingling tongue

Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat and tongue

Runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes

Dark circles under the eyes

Trouble breathing or asthma, trouble speaking or swallowing

Anxiety, distress, sense of doom, weakness, fainting

Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting

Drop in blood pressure, rapid heart rate, loss of consciousness

 Avoiding Allergic Reactions

There is no cure for food allergies.  The only way to avoid a reaction is to avoid the allergen.

1. Read the Ingredient List:  Avoid products that contain the specific allergen and derivative of the allergen you are allergic to. Avoid food products that do not list their ingredients.

For people with food allergies it is crucial to know exactly what is in a particular food and to be sure it is allergen free.  New Food labelling regulations require that most pre-packaged foods carry a label with a list of their ingredients appearing in decreasing order of proportion.  In the past, some ingredients were exempt from appearing in this list (such as the ingredients of margarine or seasoning).  With the new amendments going into effect August 4^th, 2012, all such ingredients will now be required to appear on food labels.

Ex: Cookies – Ingredients:  wheat flour, cane sugar, margarine(canola and safflower oils, water, modified palm and palm kernel oil, salt, whey powder, soy lecithin etc.), eggs, milk, baking powder etc.

1. Watch out for cross-contamination

Look for statements like “may contain X”.  Also avoid buying from bulk bins and delis where cross contamination may occur.  Don’t take chances.

1. Watch out for allergens listed by other names.

Proposed regulations will strengthen labelling requirements by requiring that the most common food or ingredients which can cause life-threatening or severe allergic reactions are identified by their common names so that consumers can easily recognize them on food labels.  For example, if a product contains spelt flour, it will also have to list wheat, the more common name.

If you experience an adverse reaction to food, consult your family doctor and a dietitian to help you determine if you have a food allergy, intolerance or other sensitivity.

For more information on Food allergies go to

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency website: www.inspection.gc.ca

Health Canada ‘s food allergy fact sheets on specific food allergies: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/allerg/fa-aa/index-eng.php