This information has been reproduced with permission of Theresa
Willingham. You can purchase her book "Food Allergy Field Guide: A
Lifestyle Manual for Families" via the Savory
Palate or Amazon.comEGG SENSITIVITY
Information from Food Allergy Field Guide: A Lifestyle Manual for Families
by Theresa Willingham
Proteins, Shmoteins
Eggs are made up of many proteins, but the four that cause the most problems - ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransfferin and lysozyme - are found in egg whites and to a lesser extent egg yolks. Of those, ovalbumin, which makes up half the egg white, triggers the most reactions. But some people are allergic to egg yolks, which contains a different set of equally unprouncedable proteins, namely apovitellenins I, apovitellenins VI, and phosfvitin (in case it comes up in a game of trivia). Inhaled bird antigens, resulting in some-thing called Bird Egg syndrome may trigger egg yolk reactions.
And sometimes egg sensitivity can results from a cross-reaction with season environmental sensitivities, such as sensitivities to oak pollen, ragweed, and goosefoot weeds.59 [See concomitant and synergistic foods] In other words, egg sensitivity can manifest itself in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons, none of which make it any more comfortable or easier to deal with than any other sensitivity.
Symptoms of Egg Sensitivity
Symptoms of egg sensitivity can include allergic rhinitis, asthma, dermatitis, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems. , hives, nausea, vomiting, itching of the mouth and tongue, wheezing and, at its most extreme, anaphylaxis. 60
Sharon knows right away when her daughter has been exposed to eggs "If she eats egg she becomes wheezy, her nose runs, and sometime later she has diarrhea. If she eats quite a bit of egg the runny nose develops into what appears to be a cold followed by a chest infection. I have to avoid lecithin in her diet unless an ingredient specifically states soya lecithin as this affects her. The number of foods that contain eggs is amazing."
As with other sensitivities in children, sometimes behavioral problems can be traced to eggs. Barbara was concerned about her son's alternating moods. "The symptoms were tantrums, lack of reasoning, hitting, spitting, kicking - most terrible child one minute, his calm self the next. The school system noticed he always had a bad Monday, and asked if there was anything we do on the weekends, that we do no other day. Every Sunday we ate eggs for breakfast at Grandma's house. We discontinued eggs (in everything) and found a whole new child."
Egg Hunt
Eggs, like peanuts, are masters of disguises. They're used frequently as binders, emulsifiers, and coagulants in foods, medicines, and toiletries. They appear in baked goods (giving pretzels and cookies their shiny appearance), sauces, candy, processed meats, dairy products, pasta, soda and cereal. They're also in lotions, shampoos, ointments, and vaccines 61 and in other pharmaceuticals.
And by now you know it's not as easy as just looking for "egg" on labels. If you're lucky, you find egg listed as egg white, egg white solids, egg yolk, powdered egg, etc. But most likely, egg will appear incognito as albumin, globulin, livetin, lysozyme, or lecithin (which can also be made with peanuts or soy) and all the proteins I mentioned before from both the whites and yolks.
59 Ibid
60 Sicher, Scott, MD "Manifestations of Food Allergy: evaluation and management" American Academy of Family Physicians, January 15, 1999.
61 John James MD, an allergist, points out that the current America Academy of Pediatrics Red Book 2000 recommends that patients with egg allergy, even those with severed histories of anaphylaxis to egg, may receive the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine in the routine, one dose format.
This information has been reproduced with permission of Theresa
Willingham. You can purchase her book "Food Allergy Field Guide: A
Lifestyle Manual for Families" via the Savory
Palate or Amazon.com