READING LABELS FOR ALLERGENS Daniel Guerra Wellness Coordinator/Dietitian North East ISD
MOST COMMON FOOD ALLERGENS Milk Egg Peanuts Tree Nuts Fish Shellfish Soy Wheat
READING THE LABEL: PEANUT ALLERGY Key Ingredients to Avoid Beer nuts, Ground nuts, Mixed nuts, Peanut Flour, Peanut Butter, Peanut Oil, Tree Nuts Risk of Cross-Contamination Chili & Sauces used as a thickener
READING THE LABELS: MILK ALLERGY Most common allergy in infants and young children, but is commonly outgrown. Diff between allergy (involves immune system), can be life threatening and intolerance (lacking an enzyme (lactase) and inability to digest milk sugar lactose), not life threatening Ingredients to Avoid: Artificial butter, butter fat, butter oil, casein and caseinates (all forms), chesse flavor, curds, ghee, hydrosylates, lactalbumin, nougat, rennet, rennet casein, Recaldent (used in calcium gums), Simplesse, Whey (in all forms), milk, yogurt, cream, Lactaid, Acidophilus milk, ice cream, ice milk, sherbet made with milk or frozen yogurt, cream sauces and soups, white sauces, butter or margarine, baked goods made with milk (including bread), any vegetables prepared with milk, cheese, butter or cream, instant cocoa, breakfast mixes, cereals containing dried milk
READING THE LABEL: WHEAT ALLERGY Wheat allergy vs. gluten sensitivity Explain wording: wheat, whole wheat Ingredients to Avoid: Wheat, flour, wheat germ, wheat starch, bran, modified food starch, graham flour, farina, spelt, semolina Products to avoid: Most cereals, bread, crackers, most baked goods, bread crumbs, bulgur, couscous, durum, durum flour, durum wheat, emmer, einkorn, farina, flour (all types), kamut, semolina, spelt, sprouted wheat, triticale, wheat gluten, wheat, whole wheat berries
WHEAT ALLERGY VS. GLUTEN SENSITIVITY Wheat Allergy Body reacts to the protein can be touched or consumed Celiac Disease (Gluten Intolerance) Gluten in wheat destroys the microvilli of the intestines leading to gastric problems. Immune system isn t involved
READING THE LABELS: EGG ALLERGY Ingredients to Avoid Albumin, Egg (white, yolk, dried, powdered, solids), Egg Substitute, Eggnog, Globulin, Lecithin, Lysozyme, Mayonnaise, Meringue, Ovalbumin, Ovovitellin Those with egg allergies must also use caution with soup stocks, consommes, and some vaccines (MMR, Flu)
READING THE LABEL: SOY ALLERGY Ingredients to Avoid Edamame, miso, natto, shoyu sauce, soy (fiber, flour, grits, nuts, sprouts, milk, yogurt, ice cream, cheese), soy protein (concentrate, hydrolyzed, isolate), soy sauce, tamari, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu Asian cuisine typically uses a lot of soy, so people with soy allergies should either avoid it or use caution when eating it.
READING THE LABEL: TREE NUT ALLERGY (ALMONDS, WALNUTS, PECANS) Ingredients to Avoid Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew, chestnut, filbert/hazelnut, macadamia nut, pecan, pine nut (pignolia nut), pistachio, walnut, marzipan, nougat, pesto, nut meal, natural/pure almond extract, natural wintergreen extract (filbert/hazelnut allergy), shea nut (used in lotions) Products to avoid asd Cereals, crackers, cookies, candy, chocolates, energy bars, flavored coffees, frozen desserts, marinades, barbecue sauces
READING THE LABEL: FISH ALLERGY Avoid any finned fish: Anchovies, bass, catfish, cod, flounder, grouper, haddock, hake, herring, mahi mahi, perch, pike, pollock, salmon, scrod, sole, snapper, swordfish, tilapia, trout, tuna. Other concerns: Seafood restaurants, ethnic cuisine, Worcestershire sauce, Caesar Salad, Caesar Dressing
READING THE LABEL: SHELLFISH ALLERGY Crustacea Shrimp, Crab, Lobster Avoid: Shrimp (Prawns, Crevette) Crab, Crawfish (Crayfish, Ecrevisse), Lobster (Langouste, Langoustine, Scampo, Coral, Tomalley) Mollusks Clams, Mussels, Oysters, Scallops Avoid: Abalone, Clam, Cockle, Mussels, Oyster, Octopus, Scallop, Snail (escargot), Squid (calamari) Ingredients to Avoid: Bouillabaisse, Fish Stock, Flavoring, Seafood Flavoring, Surimi
ALLERGEN LABELING As of 2006, U.S. food companies are now required to list allergens in their foods. Any amount of a major food allergen that is an ingredient, or used in processing, must be labeled, even if it is only a minor ingredient such as in a spice, flavoring, coloring, additive, or used merely as a processing aid in a product. However, highly processed oils (for example, soy) are exempt. IMPORTANT: The law only applies to the eight foods/food groups that are considered the major allergens. For allergies to other foods (such as seeds, garlic or any others) you still need to call the manufacturer to know if ingredients labeled with non-specific terms (e.g. spice, natural flavoring ) contain a food you are avoiding. Advisory labeling such as may contain [allergen] or produced in a facility that also produces [allergen] is voluntary and not covered by this law. Therefore, the absence of a may contain statement does not mean that there is no risk of cross contact of allergen with the product. You may notice some kosher dairy products do not list milk as an ingredient. This is due to the potential for milk contamination in the product. Only intentional ingredients need to be listed on the product label. You may need to contact manufacturers for more information about the risk of cross contact.
SUMMARY Look at the serving size and servings per container Look at calories per serving Look at nutrients to limit (fat, saturated fat, cholesterol) Look at nutrients to get enough of (fiber, vitamins, iron, calcium) Read the ingredients to see what you re really getting
REFERENCES American Diabetes Association. Types of Carbohydrate. <http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/types-ofcarb.jsp>. Accessed 26 March 2008. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. November 2004. <http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html>. Accessed 25 March 2008. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. A Food Labeling Guide. June 1999. <http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-4.html>. Accessed 25 March 2008. Accessed 10, june 2010. http://www.foodallergy.org/section/allergens http://www.faiusa.org/ accessed 10, june 2010