Is chicken high in allergens

Do You Have a Chicken Allergy?

Overview

Low-fat, high-protein chicken is a healthy addition to your diet. Unless youre allergic to it.

Chicken allergies arent common, but they can cause uncomfortable or even dangerous symptoms in some people.

When you have an allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies the allergen as a dangerous substance. Your immune system then creates antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IeG) to attack the substance. This response can lead to a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe.

A chicken allergy can occur in people of any age. You might be allergic to chicken as a child and outgrow it. You might also become allergic to live chickens or to chicken meat after many years of having no allergic reactions. Some people with chicken allergy are allergic to raw but not cooked chicken.

If you suspect you have chicken allergy, a doctor, such as an allergist, can help you find out for sure. You can get a skin prick or blood test to see if you test positive for this or other allergens. Once you know what your specific allergies are, youll be in a strong position to protect your health without hurting your nutritional intake.

If youre allergic to chicken, you may experience immediate symptoms upon exposure, or symptoms may occur up to several hours later. Symptoms of a chicken allergy include:

Your symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe. They may worsen or lessen with exposure. Your symptoms should clear up once youre no longer in contact with chicken.

If you have asthma or eczema, you may be more likely to have food allergies, including an allergy to chicken. You may also be at risk for chicken allergy if youre allergic to:

• turkey
• goose
• duck
• pheasant
• partridge
• fish
• shrimp

Some people who are allergic to chicken are also allergic to eggs. This is known as bird-egg syndrome. People who have bird-egg syndrome are allergic to a substance found in the yolk of eggs and to chicken serum albumin. If you have bird-egg syndrome, you may also have an increased risk of an allergy to parakeets.

If youre allergic to chicken, you may also be allergic to live chicken droppings, chicken feathers, and chicken feather dust. This sensitivity can extend to the feathers and droppings of other types of poultry too, such as turkey.

You may mistake a chicken allergy for a cold. This is because some of the symptoms, such as runny nose and sore throat, are the same. You may also experience stomach distress as your body tries to eliminate the allergen from your system.

The most severe complication is anaphylaxis. This is a serious, whole-body reaction that requires immediate medical attention. The symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

If youve ever had an anaphylactic reaction, your doctor will prescribe an EpiPen for you to carry at all times.

The EpiPen is a self-injectable form of epinephrine (adrenaline). It can save your life in the event of an allergic emergency. It doesnt eliminate the need for follow-up medical support, though. Call your doctor if youve needed to use an EpiPen for anaphylaxis.

If you have an allergy to chicken, youll want to avoid it in everything you eat.

Watch out for dishes that contain chicken broth, a common ingredient in soups. Chicken has also become popular as a substitute for red meat, so you may find it ground like hamburger meat. Make sure the meatballs, chili, and meatloaf you eat are chicken-free before digging in.

If you have an allergy to chicken feathers, comforters or pillows containing goose down may trigger an allergic reaction both at home and during travel. Hypoallergenic pillows dont contain down.

Before taking any vaccines, discuss your allergy with your doctor. Certain vaccines might trigger an allergic reaction, such as the yellow fever vaccine, which contains chicken protein. If you have bird-egg syndrome, you may not be able to take the live influenza vaccine. It contains egg protein.

You may also want to take extra precautions if you visit a petting zoo or farm, especially if youre allergic to live chickens or waterfowl.

If you suspect you have a chicken allergy, its a good idea to talk to your doctor. They may recommend an over-the-counter antihistamine to treat your symptoms or an elimination diet to determine if chicken is causing your symptoms.

If your allergic reactions are severe, your doctor can work with you on safely managing your allergy.

If you experience anaphylaxis, seek medical help immediately, even if you use an EpiPen. This is because of the risk of a second phase of symptoms that dont respond to epinephrine.

Life with a chicken allergy can be manageable. Always be aware of what youre eating and what other allergic triggers, such as chicken feathers, might be lurking in your environment. If you avoid chicken, youll remain symptom-free.

A medical professional, such as an allergist, can help you manage your symptoms and prescribe medications that can help if you accidentally trigger your allergy.

Avoiding chicken is possible. Try these simple substitutes:

• Substitute tofu chunks for chicken in soups and stir-fries.
• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Use veal or soy protein products instead of chicken cutlets in potpies or stews.
• Experiment with other protein sources, such as fish, pork, or beans. Try using the same seasonings youd use on chicken, but adjust the cooking time for the protein source.

The 14 Food Allergens

Food businesses in the UK have been required since December 2014 to be aware of 14 prescribed allergens in their food. These are 14 different allergens that need to be pointed out to all customers so that someone with an allergy can make an informed choice of what they can eat.

The 14 food allergens are:

This includes celery stalks, leaves, spice and celery salt. It is often found in salads, some meat products, soups and stock cubes. People with a celery allergy also need to avoid celeriac, as they are varieties of the same species. This particular allergy is more of a problem in other European countries such as Switzerland, France and Germany, and not common in the UK, but because this list of allergens has been compiled as an EU wide initiative, it has been included.

Gluten is the name of a family of proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. It is often found in foods containing flour and therefore bread, baked goods, cereals and pasta. It can also be found in barley-based products such as beer, malt, malt vinegar and food colouring.

These include crabs, lobsters, prawns, crabs and scampi. They are invertebrates and have segmented bodies and jointed legs. They are often found in shrimp paste used for curries. Around 60% of people with a shellfish allergy experience their first symptoms as adults. This allergy can be suffered even without eating. The proteins in shellfish can be transmitted through the air when fish is cooked. As this allergy can be severe in many, it is especially important for sufferers to be careful. Having an allergy to molluscs increases the risk.

These are often found in cakes, some meat products, mayonnaise, mousses, pasta, quiche and food brushed with egg. Egg allergy is one of the most common foods to trigger allergic symptoms in babies and young children, however most children outgrow the allergy. Egg allergy can occasionally develop later in life. Reactions to egg are usually triggered by the protein part of the egg, mainly the white or albumen. Having another type of allergy increases the risk. Eggs do not have to be eaten to cause a reaction, and coming into contact with eggshells or raw egg may trigger a reaction in sensitive individuals.

Often found in fish sauces, pizzas, relishes, salad dressings and stock cubes. Fish and shellfish allergies are one of the most common allergies in adults, and can develop at any point in life with no previous symptoms experienced when eating fish. Because of the multiple uses and widespread use of fish in cooking, it is especially important for individuals with a fish allergy to know exactly what is in their food. Although treated as separate allergies, a fish, crustacean or mollusc allergy increases the risk of having another of these three.

This includes lupin seeds and flour and can be found in some types of bread, pastries and pasta. Sometimes called lupine, it is a legume belonging to the same family as peanuts. It is frequently consumed in the Mediterranean, especially in the form of lupin flour. Lupin beans are eaten whole after boiling and drying as a snack in many countries.

This is found in butter, cheese, cream, milk powders, yoghurt and foods glazed with milk. Cows milk allergy affects around 3-6% of infants and young children and causes many health problems. It frequently takes many months to be diagnosed. The enzyme lactose is the cause of the allergic reaction. Many children outgrow a milk allergy and this allergy is uncommon in adults.

These include mussels, land snails, squid and whelks. They are often found in oyster sauce or as an ingredient in fish stews. Molluscs are soft bodied invertebrates, with some having a shell. Those that have a shell which opens and closes are called bivalve molluscs such as oysters and clams. As with fish and crustaceans, an allergy to one will increase the risk of being allergic to one or both of the others.

This includes mustard powder, liquid mustard and mustard seeds. It is often found in breads, curries, marinades, meat products, salad dressing, sauces and soups. Because it is often hidden as an ingredient it is important to note it may not be obvious by sight, smell or taste. Mustard seeds are produced by the mustard plant, a member of the Brassica family. The seeds vary in colour and are frequently ground down to use in cooking. Mustard allergy is more common in countries where it forms a larger part of the cuisine such as in France. Mustard allergy can occur when there is a reaction between a food and a pollen allergen. Mugwort-mustard allergy syndrome occurs when a person becomes sensitised to a weed called mugwort. It affects those with hay fever and who react to foods eaten from the wider mustard family.

These include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia or Queensland nuts. They can be found in breads, biscuits, crackers, desserts, ice cream, marzipan, nut oils and sauces. Ground, crushed or flaked almonds are often used in Asian cooking. It is most common to develop a tree nut allergy before the age of 5, but also possible for adults and older children to develop a nut allergy, even when nuts have been previously eaten with no reaction. Those with a peanut allergy have a 30-40% likelihood of developing a tree nut allergy as they have similar proteins. People with a nut allergy are more at risk of being allergic to sesame seeds due to similarity in proteins.

These can be found in biscuits, cakes, curries, desserts and sauces. They are also in groundnut oil and peanut flour. Peanut allergy affects around 2% of children in the UK, and has risen in past decades. Peanuts are a legume and different from tree nuts, but they have proteins that are similar. An allergy to peanuts does increase the likelihood of developing an allergy to nuts, sesame seeds and lupin. Signs and symptoms of a peanut allergy can occur within minutes of contact, but can take an hour to be apparent. Because of the often severe reaction to a peanut allergy, it is vital to check ingredient lists, especially from foods produced outside the EU where they are not required to highlight the presence of peanuts.

These can be found in bread, bread sticks, as a garnish, in hummus, sesame oil and tahini (sesame paste). Sesame allergy is becoming increasingly common and is now in the top 10 of UK allergens, due to increased consumption. In countries such as Israel, where it has been a widespread food for decades, sesame allergy is quite common. Sesame is known as Benne, Gingelly, Till or Teel, Simsim or Anjonjoli on foreign products. Many people with a mild allergy to sesame are able to eat buns coated with sesame seeds because the protein causing the allergy is only released when the seed is squashed or broken.

Sulphites are preservatives, used in dried fruit, meat products and vegetables as well as in wine and beer. Sulphur dioxide allergy is rare however sulphites can cause allergy-like symptoms in people with underlying conditions such as asthma. Sulphite sensitivity is thought to affect less than 2% of the general population, but more likely between 5% & 13% for asthmatics.

This can be found in bean curd, edamame seeds, miso paste, soya protein, soya flour, tofu and a very wide range of processed foods. It is often used in some desserts, ice cream, meat products, sauces and in vegetarian products. The soya bean is a legume, but reaction to other legumes does not necessarily produce allergies. Soya is widely used in food manufacture and is difficult to avoid with as much as 60% of manufactured foods containing soya. Avoidance of all foods containing soya is very difficult, however as with other allergens, the avoidance necessary depends on the severity of the allergy. In the UK the Food Standards Agency advises that refined soya oil (the main ingredient of vegetable oil) should be safe for most people because the proteins that cause the allergy are removed during the refining process. As with other foods, products sold outside the EU do not have to comply with EU allergen labelling legislation.