Allergy. A small number of people are allergic to pure ethanol, but the bigger culprits behind true allergic responses are base ingredients, including barley, hops, yeast and grapes. Agents that are derived from foods such as egg and seafood are often used to clarify wine, but in such minuscule quantities that many question whether they pose a serious risk. Symptoms of true allergic reactions can include congestion, runny nose, swelling, hives, asthma, and in rare cases, anaphylaxis.

Allergy-like reactions. A person who reacts to alcohol may have classic allergy symptoms, but it may not be a “true” allergy. For example, reactions to sulfites in wine are not considered true allergic responses because the underlying physiological mechanism is different – and yet the sulfite-sensitive may experience asthma and even anaphylaxis. Glycoproteins are suspected of producing either allergy or allergy-like reactions.

Intolerance. Substances commonly found in wine including histamine (more often in reds than whites) can lead to sneezing, flushing, headache, diarrhea, skin itch and shortness of breath. Other amines such as tyramine and tryptamine, may play a role in alcohol intolerance; and salicylate, a chemical found in grapes, yeast, wine, beer and many foods, can lead to hives and eczema.

Asian Flush. Many people of Asian descent experience flushing, rapid heart rate, and reduced blood pressure because of a genetic incapacity to properly metabolizing alcohol. So-called “Asian Flush” is thought to be caused by the deficiency of enzymes called aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH).

Migraine. Red and white wines have been implicated in these headaches.

Sources: The Auckland Allergy Clinic and The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy.

See: Scientist Discovers Big Clue in Wine Reactions

First published in Allergic Living magazine.
To subscribe, click here.

© Copyright AGW Publishing Inc.

Reprinted from Allergic Living magazine, 2011

The baseball game hadn’t even started when Kishari Sing began to feel that something was seriously wrong. She knew that, like her father, she reacted badly to alcohol; even a small taste of Irish Cream in high school had made her wheeze. Still, in the parking lot outside the San Diego stadium, her college friends tried to convince Sing that she could build up a tolerance to alcohol, and specifically to their drink of choice – a cheap boxed rosé. She drank one glass and remembers little after that.

“It completely whacked me out. I was sick the entire time,” recounts Sing, now a marketing executive in Los Angeles with a well-known blog called The Food Allergy Queen.

“There’s a picture of me at the game, and there’s this row of fraternity guys cheering – but I’m all red and puffy and trying to sleep on someone’s shoulder. I was completely incapacitated.”

Fortunately, the reaction to the cheap vino didn’t progress any further – but it was serious enough to keep Sing away from wine for good. “It made me so ill,” she says. “So it really wasn’t worth it.”

Sing is not alone. In fact, roughly 8 percent of people worldwide suffer from allergic-type responses to wine, and even relatively small amounts of the age-old drink can lead to symptoms including redness, itching, swelling, runny nose, headaches and asthma flare-ups.

Some people have true allergic reactions to wine ingredients – in rare cases to the point of anaphylactic shock.

But a new study out of Denmark may be the first step in turning those avoiders into connoisseurs who can sip hardy cabernets and oaky chardonnays with impunity. Until now, sulfites – which are used as a preservative in many wines and also can occur naturally  – have borne the brunt of the blame for the allergy-related reactions.

Yet only a fraction of people who are sensitive to wine are sensitive to the common preservative. Yeast, tannins and grapes in the vintages are also known to set off allergy symptoms, while histamines and salicylates are linked to intolerance.

Next: A surprising new allergy culprit

Like the guest who finally turns up for dinner just as you’re clearing the dessert plates, Canada’s breweries last month showed up to bellyache about the proposed gluten and allergen labeling regulations.

What’s amazing is that Health Canada and the Prime Minister’s Office didn’t just send this nervy latecomer home with a foil swan.

In Canada, we’ve been pioneers in “considering” label rules that would clearly identify food allergen and gluten in sources on packaged foods. Consultations on the issue began in earnest in 1996, the same year that Atlanta hosted the Olympic Summer Games; the year a young Alanis Morissette swept the Grammys.

In the 15 intervening years, all the consulting, revising, reviewing and re-revising by the food and beverage industry, distillers, bureaucrats, allergy groups, doctors and celiac associations was supposed to have finished.

In July 2008, Tony Clement, then our Health Minister, promised the regulations to millions of Canadians who live with food allergies and celiac disease. The label regulations were finally accepted by all stakeholders in February 2010; they were good to go. And they did complete one stage of the process.

There was just a second stage left to pass. But then the regulations sat, stalled at Treasury Board. The allergy and celiac communities began lobbying again in December with an open letter to the Prime Minister and an online write-in campaign.

Just as the current Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq wrote back promising the regulations would pass in “early 2011,” the brewers came to Ottawa, guns blazing.

“It was very disheartening to receive a letter from the Health Minister reaffirming her commitment to this issue only to learn a few days later from the Prime Minister’s Office that an exemption was being considered for the beer industry,” said Laurie Harada, Anaphylaxis Canada’s executive director.

No kidding. We have the cooperation and sign-off of all the foodmakers, liquor makers, cake bakers, you name it – and now the brewers want another delay? The regulations were considered close to expiration date from neglect last winter. What will further delay do? If a spring election does occur, it will be back to the drawing board.

How do we lose this guest? Where is the foil? This party was meant to be a wrap.

In this community, we depend on clear labels for the basics of eating and drinking. We grow weary of being patient. We tire of avoiding food upon food in the grocery store because of mystery ingredients like “natural flavours,” “spices” or “hydrolyzed protein” (Is HP soy? wheat? corn? milk? Answer: any of the above). We just want to know what’s in our food and drink. And you know what? Even non-allergic Canadians are beginning to demand the same.

Our community remains resolved to seeing these regulations through despite the protracted battle to get the job done. What the beer companies and the prime ministerial advisers don’t seem to get is this simple fact: we need those labels; they are not optional.

Next Steps:

Let’s keep the pressure on the government to pass these regulations. We can win this yet. But we need to stay vocal now.

1. If you haven’t sent your letter via the write-in campaign, please do so now – here. We’ve gathered over 8,700 letters in total from Round 1 and 2 of this campaign. And the tally is growing.

If you have sent a letter, thanks for the support! Can you think of anyone else who would take part? (It’s not just for those living with allergies or celiac, any supporter can send a letter.)

2. The groups in the campaign have now written a letter to all Members of Parliament, asking them to press the Prime Minister to pass the regulations. See it here and send it to your MP, too.

3. Call the Prime Minister’s Office, and let them know how much you and your family need these regulations: 613-992-4211.

4. Anaphylaxis Canada has started an intriguing quiz “What’s in Your Beer”. You may be surprised to learn of some potential ingredients. Again, show your friends, take the quiz, spread the word.