Even companies with the right intentions are taking the crossed-out peanut to mean they can include nuts in thier ingredients.

Be vigilant when reading labels!

A registered nurse is sounding the nut allergy alarm over potentially confusing allergy labels on packaged foods.

While the red circle with a line through it is an internationally recognized symbol for ‘no,’ the symbol with a line through a peanut doesn’t necessarily mean no nuts.

Rob Cimaglia, who has a severe allergy to tree nuts, was shocked to discover that a package of granola bars he purchased at IGA had the no-nut symbol on the front, but contained almonds in the ingredient list

 

Read on at CTV British Columbia – Misreading nut labels a potentially deadly mistake – CTV News.

Nov. 29, 2010

Quaker Canada is recalling “Quaker Chewy Granola Bars Value Pack” cartons, sold in Canada, due to undeclared peanuts and tree nuts.

FAAN is sending notification of this recall because, per the manufacturer, some consumers of this product may be U.S. residents.

The affected product is packaged in 14-count cartons with UPC Bar Code 55577 10742. The carton should contain Chewy Chocolate Chip and Chewy S’mores bars, but could incorrectly contain Dipps Chocolate Chip and Dipps Caramel Nut bars.

Consumers should return the recalled product to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions should contact Quaker Canada at (800) 267-6287.

Take Action to Prevent Reactions during Food Allergy Awareness Week

FAIRFAX, Va. (April 28, 2009) – As part of its ongoing efforts to educate people about food allergies and reduce risk-taking behavior during Food Allergy Awareness Week and on a daily basis, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) reminds everyone to CAP It!

Carry your medicine. Avoid your allergen. Plan ahead to prevent a reaction. Simply put, CAP It can save a life.

For the 12th annual Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 10-16, 2009, FAAN is highlighting the need for improved education and awareness about food allergies and the need to “Take Action, Prevent Reactions.” These efforts are vital to improving safety and avoiding a reaction, whether it’s teaching a child’s classmates how to recognize the signs of an allergic reaction or encouraging teachers, athletic directors, or other school officials to learn how to use an epinephrine auto-injector. Though food allergies can be fatal, this is a condition that can be safely managed through education and preparedness.

“Food allergies can be challenging to manage, but we know that reactions can be prevented by taking a few simple steps,” said Julia Bradsher, CEO of FAAN. “Adults and children with food allergies and their families can empower themselves every day by taking steps to safeguard against reactions. By sharing their knowledge with others during Food Allergy Awareness Week and throughout the year, we hope to reduce the number of reactions and save lives.”

As the prevalence of food allergy rises, particularly among children, there is an increasing need for education and awareness about food allergies as well. About 12 million Americans, including 3 million children, have food allergies. While there are many encouraging research studies underway, there is no cure for food allergies. Avoidance is the only way to prevent a reaction.

“Food Allergy Awareness Week is a really good opportunity for people with food allergies to go out in the community and tell people exactly what they want them to know about food allergies,” said Caitlin Krutsick, 17, of Bethlehem, Pa., who is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. She has learned to speak up about her food allergies, and is not only an advocate for herself, but for others with food allergies.

Take time during Food Allergy Awareness Week to help those with food allergies “Take Action, Prevent Reactions.” Visit FAAN’s website, www.foodallergy.org, to sign up for a free packet of information and to download a wealth of Web exclusive materials – from posters to children’s activities to educational presentation templates.

FAAN would like to recognize this year’s Platinum Corporate Sponsors of Food Allergy Awareness Week: Food Lion, LLC, McKee Foods Corporation, and Publix Super Market Charities, Inc., and this year’s Silver Corporate Sponsor, the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

ABOUT FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN has 30,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and 62 other countries. It is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. For more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org, www.faankids.org, and www.faanteen.org.

via Media: Food Allergy Awareness Week.

At the FAAN conference last Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting Felice Farran, a mom of 2 school-aged boys with nut allergies. She also happens to be the co-owner of a company called Litter Free Lunch.

As moms of kids with food allergies, we are all very familiar with packing school lunches! Felice is concerned about the environment as well as her child’s food allergies and she couldn’t find a decent, earth-friendly alternative to paper napkins for her kids’ lunches. So she came up with the idea of offering washable cloth napkins that are perfect for taking to school. The company also has an organic line. Check out their growing product selection at http://www.litterfreelunch.com/.

Many of us will appreciate the “green” aspect of offering washable napkins, and if your child has food allergies, these have a dual purpose. You can ask your child to spread them out on the cafeteria or picnic table to offer an extra layer of protection from allergenic foods that may have been there before. Plus, you’ll save $$. Besides being wasteful, paper napkins are expensive!

In honor of Earth Day, Litter Free Lunch is offering a special discount. From now until midnight on Friday, April 24th, all of their napkins, including organics, will be 15% off. Just use the coupon code EARTHWEEK when checking out.

It was great to meet Felice and learn about her company. I wish her the best and hope you’ll stop by her site!

Disclaimer: My comments are based on personal opinion; I received no compensation for my endorsement.

via The Nut-Free Mom Blog: A “Green” Approach to Your Food-Allergic Child’s School Lunch.

Every year, thousands of parents learn of their children’s food allergies following a reaction that can affect many body systems, including the skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and/or cardiovascular systems. About 2 million school age children have food allergy, and one child in 20 under age 3 has food allergy.

Food allergies develop when the immune system misinterprets a food as harmful and develops an immune response against the food. If a child develops allergy antibodies (called IgE) to a food protein, reexposure to that food may be accompanied by a release of chemicals that produce the allergic symptoms.

 

Leonard Bacharier, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Clinical Director of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonary Medicine at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, said that eight foods that cause 90 percent of food allergies, including:

– Peanuts

– Shellfish

– Fish

– Tree nuts (such as walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds)

– Eggs

– Milk

– Soy

– Wheat

Symptoms of an allergic reaction can range from mild to severe, and may include one or more of the following:

– Hives (a red intensely itchy rash)

– Eczema

– Tingling or swelling of the lip, tongue and/or throat

– Difficulty breathing, coughing and/or wheezing

– Nausea and vomiting

– Abdominal cramps

– Diarrhea

– Drop in blood pressure

– Loss of consciousness

– Death

Anaphylaxis is a combination of several of these symptoms and is a life threatening medical emergency.

The only effective approach for the treatment of food allergy is dietary avoidance. “This requires extreme dedication and attention to detail,” Bacharier says. “Parents and caregivers of food allergic children must become experts at reading ingredient labels on all foods. Peanuts, soy, wheat, milk and eggs are common ingredients in many packaged foods, recognition of the other terms used on labels which indicate the presence of milk or egg proteins, such as casein and albumin is critical.”

“As a general rule: if a product doesn’t have a label, people with food allergies should not eat that food,” Bacharier says.

Even with meticulous attention to ingredients, accidental ingestions occur. Children who have experienced a significant allergic reaction to a food should always carry and know how to use injectable epinephrine and antihistamines to treat reactions, and should also wear an identification bracelet describing the allergy.

The good news is that most children allergic to milk, soy, egg, and wheat will lose their sensitivity as they grow. While allergy to egg and milk carry a good prognosis in terms of being “outgrown” during the preschool years, allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are generally lifelong.

Washington University School of Medicine’s 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked third in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

Source: Washington University in St. Louis

via Food For Thought — Understanding Food Allergies In Kids.

UNDECLARED PEANUTS IN BERGEN BRAND APPLE CINNAMON COOKIES

OTTAWA, April 16, 2009 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Dollarama are warning people with allergies to peanut proteins not to consume the Bergen brand Apple Cinnamon Cookies described below. The affected product may contain peanuts which are not declared on the label.

All Best Before date codes of the Bergen brand Apple Cinnamon Cookies, product of Poland, sold in 150 g packages are affected by this alert.

This product has been distributed nationally.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Consumption of this product may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in persons with allergies to peanuts.

The importer, Dollarama, Montreal, QC is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on peanuts, one of the nine most common food allergens, visit the Food Allergens web page at:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/peaarae.shtml

For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.

via ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED PEANUTS IN BERGEN BRAND APPLE CINNAMON COOKIES.

We have come up with some standard questions we like to ask. Sometimes we feel the need to ask them all, sometimes we are satisfied if the management has a strong grasp without the need to ask all the questions.

It is especially wonderful when a staff member offers to give you a tour of a buffet or the menu outlining what is safe and what to stay away from. When someone suggests to stay away from something I also like to ask about the preparation of that dish, if it is prepared separately and safely from the safe dishes.

Do you have a standard list of questions different from what we have below?

The List:

Do you know of anyone with an allergy dog?

How many kids can say they’ve never eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

8-year-old Riley Mers can say that.

And no, she’s not from another planet.

She’s from Monument, Colorado.

The reason Riley can’t eat PB&J is because she’s allergic to peanuts – so severely allergic that when she stepped on a peanut shell one time, it nearly burned through her skin.

For virtually her entire life, Riley has been unable to leave her home or her yard.

Going to school?

Forget about it.

Riley studies online, mostly, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

And when she does go to school, she has to sit in a special room of her own.

After all, what if some other kid brought peanut butter and jelly for lunch?

Riley is so sensitive to peanuts that even peanut dust can cause her to have a life-threatening allergic reaction.

But recently, Riley’s life changed.

No, she’s still allergic to peanuts.

But now, she has a friend who sniffs them out for her and steers her away from danger – a friend with four paws and an amazing nose.

Back in February, Riley’s parents got her a Portuguese water dog named Rock’O – a dog specially trained to sniff out peanuts.

And her world is now beginning to open up.

“It’s just so life-changing you wouldn’t believe it,” she told Gazette reporter Brian Newsome.

You probably know that dogs have an amazing sense of smell – a much better sense of smell than humans have.

They can be trained to sniff out drugs, bombs and other dangerous things.

So why not peanuts?

Thanks to specialized training, Rock’O has learned to sniff out even tiny amounts of peanut residue – amounts so small they can’t be seen or smelled by the average human.

And thanks to Rock’O, Riley and her parents don’t have to worry so much every time she leaves home.

Rock’O has already saved Riley from a dangerous encounter with peanuts at least three times.

According to USA TODAY, he kept her from going into a jewelry store that had peanut candy on the counter, and he kept her away from an area in her own yard where some squirrels were eating peanuts.

And according to a report by NBC’s “Today” show, Rock’O detected some peanut M&M’s in a candy store – candy Riley’s mother didn’t see.

Rock’O then steered Riley into a peanut-free aisle that contained candy she could safely eat.

Believe or not, it was Riley’s first trip ever to a candy store.

Until she got Rock’O, she couldn’t take that chance.

Riley now calls Rock’O her “guardian angel.”

Thanks to him, she says she can now go to birthday parties and the mall.

And she’s even thinking about going to college one day – something that seemed almost impossible just a few months ago. How excited is she?

“I could do a backflip,” she told Newsome. “My friends – it’s not their fault that they eat peanut butter.”

via Nick.com’s Nick News Weekly Stories.

A recent study conducted at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York suggests that a Chinese botanical drug can help patients manage their food allergies. This new drug may help many allergic patients in the western society and could also assist in curing other conditions such as asthma.

Food allergies have been turning into an increasingly common ailment in the western world. In the US alone, about 5% of the adults and 10% of the children suffer from one allergy or another. Allergies can be very dangerous, as in some cases the allergic individual may have a severe reaction to the allergen and in extreme cases can even go into anaphalactic shock and die. The traditional treatment for food allergies is simple avoidance. In case of failure in avoidance, a liquid antihistamine can be used to stop the allergic reaction and in some cases, epinephrine can be injected.

Dr. Xiu-Min Li from the Mount Sinai hospital recently realized that there are significantly fewer cases of allergies in China than in the United States. She believes that traditional Chinese medicine that is based on plants’ medical properties can be used to cure allergies. Together with a group of researchers she found a food allergy herbal formula (FAHF-2) which produced long term protection against peanut-induced anaphylaxis in mice. Treatment using FAHF-2 protected peanut allergic mice from anaphylaxis for more than 36 weeks after the mice stopped receiving the drug.

“Food allergy is a serious and sometimes fatal condition for which there is no cure,” said Dr. Li. “Approximately 80% of fatal or near-fatal anaphylaxis cases are due to peanut allergy in this country. There is an urgent need for effective therapies to prevent and treat those who suffer from food allergies and FAHF-2 could prove to be a major advancement in this field.”

The new formula may help not only individuals allergic to peanuts but also sufferers from a variety of other ailments. These include allergies to fish, shellfish, and tree nuts as well as severe or persistent asthma. Normally, asthma is treated by inhaled steroids which may cause serious side effects. If this type of steroid is used for long periods of time it may impair growth and cause immune-suppression. Parents of asthmatic children are showing an increasing interest in alternative treatments, with 60% of the children receiving some form of it in the past year.

The FAHF-2 drug has recently entered the human trials stage and is currently being tested at Mount Sinai to evaluate its safety and early efficacy on multiple food allergies including peanut, tree nut, fish, and shellfish.

TFOT has previously brought you several stories of disease cures found in plant sources. One such story described an experiment conducted at the Northwestern University which showed that an antioxidant present in soybeans was able to reduce metastases. More recently we’ve brought you the purple tomatoes that may reduce the chances for cancer developed by researchers from the John Innes Centre in Norwich, U.K.

You can read more on the Chinese botanical drug on the Mount Sinai website.

via Chinese Botanical Drug to Cure Peanut Allergies.

OTTAWA, April 3, 2009 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning people with allergies to milk, sesame seeds, soy and almonds not to consume the various food products described below. The affected products contain milk, sesame seeds, soy and almonds which are not declared on the label.

via ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED MILK, SESAME SEEDS, SOY AND ALMONDS IN CERTAIN FOODS FROM KOREA.