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 EGG - The Facts
1) AAccording to recent studies, approximately 600,000 Americans have a food allergy to egg.
2) Egg allergies are the second most common in children; most kids outgrow the allergy by age five.
3) The Federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) require egg to be listed on the label of any food product containing egg ingredients.
4) Meat is sometimes dipped in egg for extra flavor.
5) Many packaged foods, including various brands of pasta, are manufactured on the same equipment used to process products containing eggs.
6) The whites of the eggs contain the allergenic proteins; however it nearly impossible to separate the white from the yolk without cross-contamination.
7) All bird eggs are potential allergens, though limited research has been done on the subject.
8) Certain egg substitutes contain egg whites.
9) Eggs are sometimes used to create foam on beer and coffee drinks, as an ingredient in soups, and sometimes in alcoholic drinks such as egg-nog or certain kinds of wine.
Influenza Vaccine:
1) Influenza vaccines are cultured on egg embryos and therefore may contain a small amount of egg protein. If you are affected by an egg allergy, ask your doctor if this particular vaccine will be safe. Scientists suggest an allergy patch test with the vaccine; negative test results earn you a single dose, while positive results will warrant a discussion with your doctor. If the results are positive and your doctor proceeds with the vaccine, administration will occur in an environment where emergency medical care will be immediately available.
2) The influenza vaccine is recommended by the Center for Disease Control to children from 6-23 months of age, unless the child has a diagnosed history of egg allergy.
3) The intranasal vaccine also contains egg protein and may not be safe for those with egg allergies; it is also not approved for use in those with asthma.
MMR Vaccine:
American Academy of Pediatrics has deemed the MMR vaccine safe for those with an egg allergy. AAP based their findings on scientific studies conducting research on the use of the vaccine in egg allergic individuals, including severely allergic patients. Check with your doctor to see if this vaccine is safe for your child.
Yellow Fever:
Yellow fever vaccine is also cultivated on eggs and may contain traces of egg protein. This vaccine is necessary when traveling to parts of Africa and South America. If you have an egg allergy, you may receive a waiver; discuss with your doctor alternative therapies to prevent the disease.
Tips and Tricks for Battling Egg Allergies:
An allergic reaction can be caused by three different methods: direct contact, cross-contamination, or inhalation of egg particles.
Direct contact can be caused by ingesting egg after forgetting to read a label or ingredient list. Cross-contamination happens when your food is cooked on the same surface as food containing egg. The risk of both happening is significantly higher at breakfast restaurants, bakeries, cake-shops, or anywhere else a predominance of egg product is served. This is also possible at restaurants where egg may be used as a common ingredient, such as in marinades, sauces, pasta, bread, etc.
Inhalation is common in close proximity to foods such as scrambled eggs, French toast, or anywhere egg products are being cooked.
Ingredients and Foods Containing Egg:
1) Albumin
2) Egg-nog
3) Egg lecithin
4) Certain egg substitutes
5) Globulin
6) Mayo
7) Ovalbumin - protein found in egg white
8) Ovovitellin; any ingredient beginning with the preface ovo
9) Meringue
10) Simplesse - fat substitute made from egg (and milk) protein
11) Lysozyme - an enzyme found in egg whites
12) Consommé - soup clarified with egg
13) Vitellin - egg yolk protein
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