Are you a parent or caregiver of a child who has experienced his or her FIRST allergic reaction within the past 12 months that required medical attention from a healthcare professional? Would you like to participate in a research study? A group of researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, are conducting a research study [...]

The following chart tracks the long history of Health Canada’s proposed amendments to Food and Drug Regulations 1220: Enhanced Labelling of Allergens Gluten Sources and Added Sulphites. 1990 Petition from Allergy/Asthma Information (AAI) patient group asking Health Canada (HC) for complete allergen labelling on food products. 1993 HC and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada formed a [...]

Best Label of the Month Award We’ve got to hand it to the people at Kitchen Basics: they “get” people with allergies and celiac disease. We love that their selection of stocks such as chicken, beef and vegetable are not only healthy and low-sodium – but now allergy-friendly and gluten-free, too. “We strive to reduce [...]

Published: Dec. 9/10 Robert Palmer, WestJet’s manager of public relations, spoke with Allergic Living’s Gwen Smith this week about the details of his airline’s new forward-thinking food allergy policy. Allergic Living: I have to start by asking: Why did WestJet make these few policy changes that are quite groundbreaking in terms of food allergy accommodation? [...]

In December 2010, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) released the first ever Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States. The guidelines, which outline the definition of food allergy as well as recommended diagnostic tests and treatment, were written for health care professional such as general [...]

In October 2010, Allergic Living sent out an e-mail asking readers to share their stories (both good and bad) of how close relatives dealt with food allergies or celiac disease. We were deluged with responses, several of which were included in our Winter 2011 cover article “Family Food Feud”. However, there were more intriguing stories [...]

When relatives don’t “get” your allergies, it’s a recipe for quarrels and broken bonds.

Allergen Where It Hides Alternate Names Other Foods     Corn: alcohol artificial flavorings and sweeteners (like aspartame and xylitol) baking powder confectioner’s sugar (corn starch) margarine Olestra/Olean cooking oil May contain corn (not always): acetic acid citric acid alpha tocopherol ascorbates ascorbic acid dextrose (also found in IV solutions in hospitals) fumaric acid gluconate [...]

Allergen Where It Hides Alternate Names Sulphites alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer and cider vinegar and wine vinegar wine baked goods with dried fruits bottled lemon/lime juices canned/frozen fruits, vegetables cereal, cornmeal, cornstarch, crackers condiments: horseradish, ketchup, mustard, pickles, relish and sauerkraut dehydrated potatoes, and frozen French fries dried fruits and vegetables, e.g. apricots, raisins, sweet [...]

Allergen Where It Hides Alternate Names Soy/Legumes baked goods, bread, cookies cereals, crackers canned goods chewing gum imitation dairy food (imitation cheese, imitation milk, imitation ice cream) infant formula margarine mayonnaise, other spreads, dips meal replacements meat products with fillers (e.g. burgers); deli meats miso nutrition supplements (check labels; many companies are now making and [...]