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Fatal Food
When Your Child Has A Peanut Allergy By Donna Stone
Dining in restaurants is risky if any peanut products are used in any food preparation. Cross contamination is a real danger. Utensils used to prepare a peanut-containing product can contaminate nonpeanut-containing food.
Peanut butter often turns up in unexpected places. It can be used as a thickener in foods such as chili, used to seal eggrolls or as a filler in prepared foods. Sometimes, restaurant personnel are not aware of all food ingredients and may give incorrect information when questioned.
Care also must be exercised when eating at home, and simply reading labels is not enough. Manufacturers are not required to label trace amounts of food in products, and for those with severe allergy, a trace is all it takes for a fatality to occur. Peanuts may also be listed as ingredients not obviously peanuts, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Cross contamination during production is another concern. Frequently, products such as ice cream and baked goods are produced on the same machinery that was previously used to produce a peanut-containing product. Traces of the allergen can end up in a food the allergic individual may assume is safe.
The severity of previous reactions is not an accurate indicator of future reactions. Even a tiny amount of peanut can be fatal to sensitive individuals. Some can even react by inhaling minuscule peanut particles in the air, or by touch, absorbing residue left behind on surfaces. Teachers and other caregivers must be prepared to deal with an allergic reaction and know how to handle an emergency. In school or daycare settings, Dr. Wood suggests: "No food should be allowed that has not been cleared by the parent." Classmates need to be aware of the seriousness of the condition. Because this allergy can be so devastating, many daycares and schools are adopting a "no peanut" policy in an attempt to reduce the risk of a fatal reaction.