My family policy has always been to NOT eat anything that may contain an allergen or made in the same facility with an allergen. Last week, a woman ate candy with the warming label of peanuts being made in the same facility as her gummy candy. She experienced life threatening anaphylaxis and thankfully was saved as reported in, “State of Emergency; Covelo woman saved from allergic reaction”. Thankfully, the story ended well, but there were many, many lessons to learn: always carry two epinephrine auto-injectors, call 911–don’t walk or drive yourself anywhere and don’t take risks with processed foods. Of course, speak to a board certified allergist to establish your plan for living with life threatening food allergies and anaphylaxis including how to respond to an emergency.
My daughter always carries two EpiPens®
So many people just don’t realize the serious nature of life threatening allergies and anaphylaxis, until they are gasping for air and life. Our family rule is very steadfast: my children do not eat anything that many contain an allergen or the allergen is processed in the same facility. We take is so far that we won’t eat foods from countries that we believe are not familiar with food allergies, such as China. The only time we “break” this rule is if I speak to the company and feel that the allergen has truly been segregated and separated physically. Meaning, some companies will use my family’s allergens in a separate building or some companies clean their equipment and then test every few minutes for allergens. Even though a company might state that they follow good manufacturing policy to clean equipment. More often than not, we do not use their products due to ingredients being airborne during production. Kashi® once told me that they use two ventilation systems just for this reason regarding some specific products (do call them if you are going to use their products–they use a lot of nuts and seeds)! Imagine big vats of walnuts being mixed next to your nut free product? What are the odds of that dust floating up and landing on the product you are purchasing?
If there are no allergen warning labels on a product, I call the company!
Moral of the Food Allergen Story
I think it is important to create policy for ourselves, with an allergist as our medical partner, regarding how to label read and understanding the risks you might be taking. If you ever wonder about the may contain or made in a facility statement, just watch the Food Network’s Unwrapped show or sign up for the Food Recalls and Alerts to better understand how easy it is for a manufacture to cross contaminate foods!
Happy food allergen label reading and stay safe!
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
…and avoid processed foods!!! It is interesting to note that the majority of food allergy incidents & deaths involve foods made in factories or restaurants.
Judie, I once spoke to the FDA about Whole Foods Market labeling practices the person on the other end of the phone said the same thing: lady, avoid processed foods! He explained so many problems to me that I am sure my hair was standing on end. I know it’s not realistic for all, but it is a very important goal to consider. Your second point is most interesting as well!
I am so with you here! If there is no allergen information, I contact the manufacturer, and most of the time even when there is but ingredients sound iffy or I am not familiar with them, I contact the manufacturer. I don’t rely on labels until I have learned the company’s policy and how they do things, and even then I contact them more often than not. This is not a lesson you want to learn the hard way!
Julie,
You hit the nail right on the head. This is not the lesson I want to learn in life! I once spoke to a manufacturer that told me he meets the requirements by law, but in all honesty, his workers don’t speak English, so did they really understand the training session?
I stick with trusted brands that disclose their practices. Anything ambiguous is Russian roulette to me. Thanks for posting and giving us even more reason to be grateful for our little foodie! Your blogs are always educational and thought provoking. xo K
Thanks for the love Kristin, I admire your work tremendously–both your coaching and counseling and blog.
You are so right though, about Russian Roulette, if I feel like I am guessing, then forget it! Not worth it.