Common Food Allergies and Ingredients to Avoid

Nuts, Sesame, Soy, Dairy and Wheat Go By Other Names on Food Labels

Aug 15, 2009

Those with a nut allergy, milk allergy, wheat allergy or other food intolerance, be advised that these foods are commonly listed as different names on ingredient labels.

People with a food allergy should be aware that a lot of the foods that cause a severe allergic reaction can be listed other ways on food packaging. For example, sometimes a manufacturer will use the scientific name for the allergen. Here are some alternative names to avoid.

Peanut Allergy

Peanuts can cause a severe anaphylactic reaction. Therefore, it is important to carefully read labels as there are other names peanuts can go by.

Ingredients to avoid: Arachide, Arachis Oil, Cacahouète, Cacahouette, Cacahuète, Goober Peas, Kernels, Mandelonas, Nu-Nuts™, Pinders and Valencias.

Tree Nut Allergy

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology approximately one-fourth of people who are allergic to peanuts will also be allergic to tree nuts such as walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts and so forth.

Ingredients to avoid: Anacardium Occidentale (Cashews), Bertholletia Excelsa (Brazil Nuts), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Calisson, Canarium Ovatum (Pili Nut), Caponata, Carya Illinoensis (Pecans), Castanea Pumila (Chestnut), Chinquapin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Palm), Corylus (Hazelnuts), Gianduja, Juglans Cinerea (Butternut), Litchi Chinensis Sonn., Madelonas, Marzipan, Nougat, Pesto, Pigñolia, Piñon, Pinus, Pistacia Vera (Pistachios), Prunus Dulcis (Almonds), Sapindaceae, and Vitellaria Paradoxa.

Sesame Seed Allergy

Sesame seeds are a growing allergy. Their size makes them difficult to find in certain foods, and they also go by other names.

Ingredients to avoid: Benne, Benne Seed, Benniseed, Gingelly, Gingelly Oil, Gingelly Seeds, Sesamol, Sesamolina, Sesamum Indicum, Sim Sim, Tahini, Tahina, and Til.

Milk Allergy

Milk is one of the most common food allergies. Surprisingly, milk can be listed as many things on packaging.

Ingredients to avoid: Ammonium Caseinate, Calcium Caseinate, Magnesium Caseinate, Potassium Caseinate, Sodium Caseinate, Casein, Caseinate, Rennet Casein, Curds, Hydrolyzed Casein, Lactalbumin, Lactalbumin Phosphate, Lactate, Lactose, Lactoferrin, Lactoglobulin, Opta™, Simplesse ®, and Whey.

Egg Allergy

Ingredients to avoid: Albumin, Albumen, Conalbumin, Egg Beaters®, Globulin, Livetin, Lysozyme, Meringue, Ovalbumin, Ovoglobulin, Ovolactohydrolyze Proteins, Ovomacroglobulin, Ovomucin, Ovomucoid, Ovotransferrin, Ovovitellin, Silico-albuminate, Simplesse®?and Vitellin.

Soy Allergy

Soy is a predominant food allergy. It is used in a lot of foods these days because it is high in protein. Obviously, it is also used in a lot of Asian foods.

Ingredients to avoid: Cheonggukjang, Doenjamg, Douchi, Edamame, Ganjang, Kinako, Kongnamul, Kouridofu, Miso, Mono-diglyceride, Natto, Nimame, Okara, Shoyu, Soya, Soja, Soybean, Soyabeans, Soy Protein, Tempeh, Textured Soy Flour (TSF), Textured Soy Protein (TSP), Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Tofu and Yuba.

Wheat Allergy

Wheat is a common food allergy and is related to Celiac disease. Celiac disease is a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat. A lot of wheat-free products will now be listed as “gluten-free”.

Ingredients to avoid: Atta, Bran, Bulgur, Couscous, Durum, Einkorn, Emmer, Farina, Flour, Gelatinized Starch, Gluten, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Kamut, Seitan, Semolina, Spelt, Starch, Triticale, Triticum Aestivum, Vegetable Gum, Vegetable Starch, Vital Gluten, Wheat Bran, Wheat Germ, Wheat Gluten, Wheat Malt, and Wheat Starch.

Food allergy sufferers have to be very careful to fully read ingredient labels, especially when traveling abroad, to make sure that all forms of their food allergen are not present.

The copyright of the article Common Food Allergies and Ingredients to Avoid in Food Allergies is owned by Gail Oliver. Permission to republish Common Food Allergies and Ingredients to Avoid in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.