Food Allergy Awareness Week!

Food Allergy Awareness week is May 11-17 and to help spread awareness about food allergies I created the video below with Nicole Turner, MIss Arizona 2007

Please help spread the word about food allergies by telling friends about this video, or sharing information with them. Thank you and enjoy!



Featuring NIcole Turner, Miss Arizona 2007

MILK IN SILK SOYMILK *RECALL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Marguerite Copel
(214) 721-1273


ALLERGY ALERT ON UNDECLARED DAIRY IN 11-OUNCE SINGLE SERVE SILK SOYMILK CHOCOLATE FLAVOR IN PLASTIC BOTTLES

Mount Crawford, Virginia (April 23, 2008) - WhiteWave Foods Company is voluntarily recalling 11-ounce plastic single serve bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor because it may contain undeclared milk protein. The individual bottles are printed with both a “use by” date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 2529360028. Consumers can find this information on the back of the individual bottle.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk protein run the risk of a health problem or illness if they consume this product. Some reactions have been reported.

This affected product was distributed nationwide and reached consumers through retail and foodservice outlets. WhiteWave’s sales team is working with distributors to actively recover any affected product remaining on store shelves.


HOW TO IDENTIFY THE RECALLED PRODUCT

This recall includes only 11-ounce single serve plastic bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor with both a “use by” date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a UPC code of 2529360028. Consumers should look for this information on the back of the bottle.

The Company apologizes for any inconvenience to its customers. Consumers who purchased the product may return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange. Consumers with questions can contact the Company at 1-800-587-2259.

The Food and Drug Administration has been notified of this recall.

Common Chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA), in Plastic Bottles Threatens Public Health

Source:
Grist Magazine
When Bisphenol Is Said and Done

Key ingredient in clear plastics called unsafe, except by industry

A chemical widely used in the making of clear plastic products, including baby bottles, food storage containers, and even dental fillings, is the subject of debate between those who say it is safe, namely plastic-industry flacks, and those who say it's not, namely most everyone else. Many scientists have found evidence that bisphenol A, or BPA, is harmful, even in the small doses leached from plastic during heating or exposure to acidic foods or strong detergents, because it can mimic sex hormones. A new paper in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives surveys 115 studies on BPA and reports that 94 of them show harmful effects. In a wacky coincidence, researchers Frederick vom Saal and Claude Hughes found that all 11 industry-funded studies conclude BPA is nothing to worry about, while 90 percent of the 104 government- or university-funded studies conclude otherwise. California's legislature is considering a ban on BPA in children's products; if successful, it would be the first ban on the chemical in the world. straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Marla Cone, 13 Apr 2005 straight to the source: USA Today, Elizabeth Weise, 14 Apr 2005
______________________________________________
2nd Article
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From:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-04-14-leaching-chemical_x.htm

Debate over a leaching chemical heats up By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY Is it possible that a chemical's effect is in the eye of the beholder?

That's the implication of a paper published this week in a prominent environmental health journal.

It concerns a debate over the safety of low doses of a chemical used to make hard, clear plastics such as those found in baby bottles, food-storage containers and the lining of soda cans.

When the plastic industry examines the health impact of a ubiquitous chemical called bisphenol A, everything's fine.
If the government or a university funds the study, there are big problems. Those are the conclusions drawn by Frederick vom Saal, a developmental biologist at the University of Missouri who reports his findings in Environmental Health Perspectives, published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Vom Saal and others seek revised risk assessments for the chemical in the light of a new research into its effects.

Bisphenol A mimics the sex hormone estradiol in the body, acting "like birth control pills," says vom Saal. The body is exquisitely sensitive to sex hormones, needing only tiny amounts to trigger major changes. That's why scientists are concerned about the impact of even the extremely low levels of bisphenol A found in people.

In mice and rats there is evidence that low doses of bisphenol A can cause structural damage to the brain, hyperactivity, abnormal sexual behavior, increased fat formation, early puberty and disrupted reproductive cycles.

Vom Saal looked at 115 published studies concerning low-doses of bisphenolA. Overall, 94 of them reported significant effects in rats and mice, while 21 did not.

Eleven of the studies were funded by chemical companies. None of those 11 found harmful effects of the chemical, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is detected in 95% of all people tested.
But more than 90% of the studies conducted by independent scientists not associated with the chemical industry found adverse consequences, says vom Saal. He called the disparity between the industry and government or university conclusions "stunning."

Steven Hentges of the American Plastics Council counters that the article is not a research paper but a commentary < "an op-ed" piece rather than a scientific paper. The real issue is the weight of evidence, he says, not the number of studies.
"You can have 1,000 studies, but if they're all weak, adding up weak evidence doesn't necessarily give you strong evidence of anything," Hentges says. "Jumping to who sponsored it is a way to dodge the facts."
He says that, in the view of the plastic industry, vom Saal has presented nothing new to change the conclusion that there's no cause for concern. "Government bodies worldwide have reached the conclusion that bisphenol A is not a risk to humans at very low levels."

Over 6 billion tons of bisphenol A are used each year to make polycarbonate plastics, which have the useful property of not becoming brittle over time. First synthesized in 1957, the material didn't come into widespread use until the 1970s.
Chemical bonds that bisphenol A forms in plastic can unravel when heated, washed or exposed to acidic foods, causing the chemical to leach into foods. "There's good evidence to show cause for concern," says Patricia Hunt, whose research found abnormalities in developing egg cells in female mice when exposed to low levels of bisphenol A.
"We now know enough to know that we need to look at this stuff in great detail," she says.

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act

*Article provided by Foodallergy.org*

House Passes Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act

On April 8, 2008, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2008 (FAAMA) was passed by the House of Representatives.

This important legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) as H.R. 2063. It calls for a uniform guidance document to be created for schools so that any school in the country looking for help in managing food allergies will have a place to turn.

In addition to Rep. Lowey’s strong support, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) was instrumental in securing House passage of the bill and spoke eloquently on the House floor about his own granddaughter’s allergy to peanuts.

“This is a wonderful first step to ensuring that the 2.2 million school-age children with food allergy are safe at school,” says Anne Muñoz-Furlong, founder and CEO of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. “We would like to thank Congress and, most of all, our members for all their help.”

Now that the bill has been passed by the House, it will be reviewed by the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee, who will consider the bill within the coming months. Known as S. 1232 in the Senate, this bill was introduced by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) on April 26, 2007. If the HELP Committee approves the bill, then it will be presented to the full Senate, and with their agreement it would go to President Bush for final approval.

“We are looking forward to working with Sen. Dodd on the Senate bill and will continue to keep you posted,” says Muñoz-Furlong.

What Will FAAMA Do?

If passed, FAAMA will provide schools across the country with uniform guidance on how to create appropriate management and emergency plans for children with food allergies. The bill will direct the secretary of health and human services to develop a voluntary policy for schools to implement measures to prevent exposure to food allergens and to ensure a prompt response if a child suffers a potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction.

How You Can Help

Senator Dodd has sent a letter to all Senators encouraging them to co-sponsor S. 1232. We are asking you to contact your Senators (by email or phone) in follow up to Sen. Dodd's letter to encourage their support and co-sponsorship of S. 1232.

Congress will soon adjourn for its summer recess, so now is the time to take action to encourage Senate support for S. 1232. You can make a difference! Call or email your Senators today!

How to Contact Your Senators

To e-mail your Senators or find appropriate phone numbers, go to: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

If you call, please be sure to ask to speak to the staff person who handles health issues.

If you email, feel free to download and use this sample letter for guidance. (.doc ~25 KB).

Need More Information?

Please contact our Washington Representative Courtney Gray Haupt at courtney.grayhaupt@whaonline.org if you have any questions, or send an email to advocacy@foodallergymail.org.

To read the text of The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act, click here.

To see which Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors of HR.2063, click here.

To see which Senators have signed on as co-sponsors of S.1232, click here.

Divvies Chocolate Cupcakes!

Divvies made to share creations offers dairy, egg, peanut, and tree nut free desserts for those with food allergies! Below is a recipe for their chocolate cupcake dessert!
They shared their recipe with millions on the Martha Stewart Show, and now I would like to pass it on to the FoodAllergyTalk community!


"This allergen-free recipe for chocolate cupcakes is courtesy of Divvies Bakery founder Lori Sandler.

To ensure that your cupcakes are free of milk, eggs, tree nuts, and peanuts, ingredients used should not contain any of these foods and should not have been manufactured in a facility that produces products that contain these foods. Check the packaging every time a purchase is made on even a familiar ingredient, as manufacturing procedures can change."
-marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Makes 1 dozen
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water until well combined. Add flour mixture to the mixer and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Batter should look and feel more watery than normal cake batters.

4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan halfway through cooking, until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

5. Immediately remove cupcakes from muffin tin and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
First published: January 2008


PURCHASE YOUR CUPCAKES AND OTHER TREATS AT Divvies.com

"Our Intimate Relationship with Food - and 10 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Family"

THIS ARTICLE IS FROM ALLERGYKIDS.COM


A famous French political thinker once said that the public would rather believe a simple lie than a complex truth.

The truth behind genetic engineering is extremely complex. It has been used for decades, but it is only in the last ten years that neurotoxins have been engineered into our food supply.

No one has studied the long term health implications of children consuming foods containing neurotoxins, novel proteins and allergens.

Though to look back over the last ten years, you quickly remember that ten years ago, we didn¹t have to worry about sending a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into school with our children; we didn¹t have to medicate our eight year olds to get them through the school day; and the movie, Rain Man, was all we knew of autism.

Today, at least 1 out of every 17 children under the age of three has a food allergy with at least 5 million American children suffering from this condition (though these statistics underestimate the problem since they are from 2002, over five years old).

Autism, diabetes and obesity are often referred to as American epidemics.

So what has changed?

In 1996, the United States adopted widespread use of genetically modified crops due to growing public concern over the health risks associated with the industrial spraying of insecticidal and pesiticidal toxins.

In an effort to reduce the spraying of these toxins, scientists began using biotechnology to engineer these pesticides and insecticides into the plants themselves.

As these ingredients were introduced around the world ten years ago, government agencies in Europe, Asia, Australia, Japan, Russia and 45 developed countries required them to be listed on food labels, so that consumers could make informed choices when it came to feeding their families.

In the United States, our regulatory agencies do not require these genetically engineered ingredients to be labeled.

So, unlike other developed countries, we have not been informed that almost 70% of our corn, 90% of our soy and 75% of our processed food now contain neurotoxins, novel proteins and allergens.

Today one out of every three children suffers from allergies, asthma, autism or ADHD. It appears that we have unknowingly and without informed consent engaged our children in one of the largest human trials in history.

Ten years into this human trial, our children are trying to tell us something.

Shouldn't we listen?


10 Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Family:
1) Reduce your family's exposure to processed foods
2) Eat food with ingredients that your grandmother would have used
3) Purchase organic eggs, as they are not from chickens fed corn engineered to produce its own insecticides
4) Cook with olive oil instead of butter, margarine or vegetable oil
5) Avoid conventional soy and corn products (vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup) since most are genetically engineered
6) Look for meat and poultry that not injected with antibiotics and additional hormones
7) As recommended by the British Dietetic Association, avoid exposing infants under the age of 12 months to conventional soy
8) Consume organic foods for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy in order to reduce your exposure to pesticides (recently linked to autism and gestational diabetes)
9) Look for "rBGH-free" milk. rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is a genetically engineered, synthetic chemical hormone that is not allowed in milk in most developed countries given its link to breast and prostate cancers
10) When discussing vaccines with your child's pediatrician, especially vaccines grown in eggs, request the informational leaflets that accompany the vaccines as they discuss autoimmune conditions like food allergies in detail

THIS ARTICLE IS FROM ALLERGYKIDS.COM

VIEW A VIDEO!!! Click here

FA Drawing Contest!

Allergy Alert

CANADA BABY GOURMET PRODUCTS RECALL / USA Whole Foods Market expanding a recall
ALLERGY ALERT
UNDECLARED PEANUT PROTEIN OR SULPHITES IN CERTAIN BABY GOURMET PRODUCTS
OTTAWA, December 31, 2007 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Baby Gourmet are warning people with allergies to peanut protein or sensitivities to sulphites not to consume the Baby Gourmet products described below. The affected products may contain peanut protein or sulphites which are not declared on the label.

All codes of the following Baby Gourmet products are affected by this alert:

Organic Moroccan Lamb with Couscous, sold frozen in a double poly lined bag containing 10 x 25 ml cubes. This product may contain undeclared peanut protein.
Seasonal Fruit Compote, sold frozen in a double poly lined bag containing 12 x 25 ml cubes. This product contains undeclared sulphites.
These products have been distributed in Calgary.

There has been one reported illness associated with the consumption of these products.

Consumption of these products may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in persons with allergies to peanut protein or sensitivities to sulphites.

The manufacturer, Baby Gourmet, Calgary, Alberta, is voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call one of the following numbers:

Jennifer Broe, Baby Gourmet at 403-614-9821;

> >
Whole Foods Market Expands Allergy Alert on 365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Chocolate Bars to All Varieties and Lots
Contact:
Ashley Hawkins
512-542-0381

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --Austin, TX -- December 21, 2007 --- Whole Foods Market® is expanding the recall of the 365 Organic Everyday Value™ Swiss Milk Chocolate Bars with Rice Crisps with a Best If Used By date of 11/21/07, to include all varieties and all lots of chocolate bars with a Best If Used By date prior to 11/08/09. The products may contain undeclared milk and tree nuts. People, who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts or milk, run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Products affected by the recall are all lots with Best If Used by date prior to 11/08/09 as follows:

365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Milk Chocolate with Rice Crisps UPC: 9948241730
365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Dark Chocolate with Coconut Flakes UPC: 9948241731
365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Dark Chocolate with Mint Crisps UPC: 9948241729
365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Milk Chocolate UPC: 9948240805
365 Organic Everyday Value Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts UPC: 9948240806
365 Organic Everyday Value Milk Chocolate with Almonds UPC: 9948240807
365 Organic Everyday Value Dark Chocolate UPC: 9948240808
365 Organic Everyday Value Dark Chocolate with Almonds UPC: 9948240809

The product was distributed to and sold at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide. 365 Organic Everyday Value™ Swiss Chocolate Bars are sold in 3 ounce sizes are in blue and white or maroon and white wrappers with a picture of chocolate pieces and the Swiss countryside on the front. The recalled chocolate bars have a Best If Used By date prior to 11/08/09, which is found on the back of the wrapper in a white box.

Consumers who have 365 Organic Everyday Value™ Swiss Chocolate Bars can return them to Whole Foods Market for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (512) 542-0656 or PrivateLabel.CustomerService@WholeFoods.com.

The recall was expanded after subsequent testing of additional products indicated that the presence of undeclared allergens may be possible in additional lots.

"We have an extensive quality assurance process that works to insure the safety of our products. When we do find an issue, our course of action is to always put customer safety first," said Bruce Silverman, Global Vice President of Private Label for Whole Foods Market. "Hence our decision last week to immediately remove potentially affected chocolate bar skus from the shelves until this further investigation was complete."



Photos: Product labels click here

FA Writing Contest EXTENDED!!!

The FoodAllergyTalk.com writing contest has been extended!!!
The deadline is now DECEMBER 16th!

Find more information about the contest here.

Submit to foodallergytalk@gmail.com

Good Luck!

-Andrea G.
FoodAllergytalk.com

FA Writing Competition 2007

Food Allergy Talk.com First annual writing competition!

Children create an original story that having to do with food allergies. It can by any kind of story, as long as it's about food allergies. This story must be written only by the child in their specific age group! Winners receive Kyle Dine's original CD!

More info here: http://www.foodallergytalk.com/writingcontest.htm

***LUPINE ALERT***

AN UNKNOWN INGREDIENT


-Lupine-



It's possible that last meal you ate contained something called lupine. If you're like most people you've probably never heard of this ingredient. It's a type of flour made from a plant in the pea family. It's also related to peanuts and that's why allergy specialists want more people to be on the lookout. Fifteen-year-old Jared Cohen doesn't take his after school snacks lightly, or any food for that matter, after two meals at different restaurants may have caused him to have dangerous allergic reactions.

"I just got these hives and everything and temperature started to rise, and I just got sweaty," he said.

Jared now knows he's allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. But it may have been fettucini alfredo that made him severely ill. The mystery is that that both restaurants say the dishes never came in contact with peanuts.

"We were scratching our heads; we had absolutely no clue," said Jared' mother, Sari Marsh.

Allergist Therese Fitzsimons was also puzzled as to why Jared got so ill. And then she saw a recent article in the journal of Allergy And Clinical Immunology. It talks about something called lupine flour.

Lupine belongs to the legume family, which includes chickpeas, lentils, white beans and peanuts.

Most people will have no problem with this ingredient, but lupine and the peanut are closely related, and it's been estimated that about 50-percent of people with peanut allergies can react to lupine. It's also possible to be allergic to lupine without being allergic to peanuts.

"Many, many people, including physicians, are not aware of lupine," said Fitzsimons.

And that's a big concern. It could be avoided if allergy patients knew to look for it or ask about it. Fitzsimons suspects lupine is showing up in imported products but may not be listed on the labels.

More commonly used in European countries, lupine can be found in foods such as pasta, cookies, pancake flour and snacks.
-Provided by NBC7 news

Click here for VIDEO AND FULL STORY

Awareness Items

Purchase food allergy awareness pins, magnets, and clothes at
CafePress.com/Food_Allergies

Immunization causes allergies

I am going to share a story with you regarding food allergies and the harm caused by immunization shots.

The daughter of one of my mother's friends has owned a cat for a couple months. The cat lives in their house, and the daughter loves to play with her through-out the day. The daughter has never had any allergic reactions to the cat.

Their family went on a vacation to Puerto Rico for about two weeks. When they return, the daughter broke out in welts and rashes all over her body and face after touching their cat. After figuring out that the cat was causing this reaction, the mother could not figure out why this was happening since she has never reacted any time before.

After some consideration, finally my mother figured out what caused this reaction. Before the trip to P.R. the daughter had received immunization shots!

The only conclusion we can come to is that the immunizations are harmful to the body and the shots severely weaken the immune system, causing it to become susceptible.