Avoiding foods that trigger allergies

Just eight foods account for 90 per cent of all food allergies. They are eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, soya, gluten, peanuts, and tree nuts (eg walnuts or almonds). It is typically the protein component of a food that is responsible for the allergic response. However, even foods that we do not usually think of as containing protein, such as citrus fruits or potatoes, can actually contain enough protein to cause an allergic reaction.

Take care when eating out

It is very important to watch out for trigger foods when eating out. Some types of cuisines frequently serve foods that include peanut protein or oil or may contain gluten or soya products. Ask your waiter to check the ingredients in the dish you are ordering. You must make it clear that if you eat a particular food that you are allergic to, it could have serious implications; it is not just that you do not like something.

When travelling, you should learn how to say the name of any trigger foods, or have the name written down in the language of the country you are visiting.

Hidden ingredients

If you have a food allergy or a food intolerance it is critical that you learn the different names of the substances that contain the food that affects you and look for them on labels. Dairy products and eggs are often hidden in a wide range of foods, as is gluten, which can be a hidden ingredient in processed meats, cheeses, sauces, gravies, yogurt, and even frozen vegetables. If you are allergic to corn (maize), note that many processed foods contain corn syrup and many products that are labelled with dextrose or fructose or even some food colouring may be made from corn.

The table outlines foods that commonly contain peanuts, eggs, milk, gluten, or soya as ingredients.

Food	Foods and ingredients to avoid	Where foods might be hidden
Peanuts and tree nuts	Peanuts are potentially life-threatening for anyone with an allergy to them. Avoid cold-pressured, expelled or extruded groundnut or peanut oil; peanut butter; peanut flavour; and nut butters Allergies to tree nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, and almonds, are not usually severe, but avoid all nuts	Breakfast cereals and cereal bars; biscuits, cakes, and pastries; marzipan; nougat; sweets; ice cream Sauces and salad dressings African, Chinese, Mexican, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisine
Eggs and egg protein	Albumin, ovalbumin, egg lecithin, mayonnaise, meringue or meringue powder, and surimi	Pasta and noodles; soups Cakes, pastries, and biscuits; marzipan; nougat Flu vaccine may contain egg protein
Milk and dairy	All forms and types of milk, including goat’s milk; all butter products and artificial butter flavourings; buttermilk; casein; all cheeses and curds; whey; custard; yogurt; ghee; all forms and types of cream; sour milk solids; lactoalbumin and lactoalbumin phosphate; lactulose	Breads, biscuits, cakes, and pastries; processed breakfast cereals; instant potato dishes; soups and sauces; salad dressings and dips; margarine; cooked sliced meats Mousses; custard-type, instant, and other desserts; protein shakes
Gluten	Wheat, spelt, rye, oats, bran, and barley; bread and breadcrumbs; bulgur wheat; couscous; durum; all types of flour; pasta; semolina Wheat protein may be found in starch, hydrolyzed proteins, and natural and artificial flavourings	Breads, muffins, cakes, and biscuits; cereals; sliced cooked meats; sausages; sauces; soups; noodles; tomato ketchup; soy sauce Pancakes; ice cream; chocolate; sweets
Soya	Soy sauce; soya beans; soya oil; soya flour; tofu; tempeh; miso; textured vegetable protein (TVP) Hydrolyzed plant and vegetable proteins	Baked items; canned tuna in soya oil; cereals; infant formulas; sauces; soups; butter substitutes; peanut butter; frozen pizzas; meat substitutes