EGG ALLERIGIES EXPLAINED

People with an egg allergy are selective with food they eat and read food labels carefully.

It is not always easy, though, to determine if a product is egg-free and it is surprising how many actually contain egg ingredients - some brands of ice-blocks, ice-cream, muesli, and pasta, for instance. It doesn’t stop there - egg yolks are sometimes used to glaze foods such as pretzels, bagels and other items.

Eggs in themselves aren’t bad, but when someone is allergic to them the body thinks they are and the immune system overreacts to proteins in the egg.

When something made with eggs enters the digestive system the body regards these proteins as harmful invaders and unleashes an army of chemicals to protect the body.

The reaction to the skin, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract can happen with minutes to hours afterward, some having a very strong allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

So many foods are made with eggs and egg products that it is often hard to know what is safe to eat. Parents of young children are ever alert, particularly if they are anaphylactic, usually seeking advice from health professionals and registered nutritionists.

When young children with an egg allergy attend a birthday party it is rather sad to see them missing out on a piece of birthday cake.

Here is a moist chocolate cake recipe, well tried and tested, that young children with or without an egg allergy enjoy.

Marmalade Bread	When Tiredness turns to Tears	Hummus with Vegetables

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