wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] carol from harrington park NJ March 23, 2009 - 11:10AM

  The labeling of "may contain" is more difficult and problematic than does contain. It eliminates many foods that may not have any allergens and makes choices more challenging.

  I have a 9 year with allergies to treenuts, fish and shellfish.

  I sometimes let my daughter consume foods labeled "may contain"

  
  
• [2] Mel from Manhattan March 23, 2009 - 11:11AM

  I wonder if the researchers have heard of the invention of homeopathy?

  
  
• [3] Priya from Brooklyn March 23, 2009 - 11:11AM

  As a child I was allergic to artificial food dyes, specifically red food coloring. But I grew out of it. Could this just be something the kids are growing out of?

  
  
• [4] Tony Jannetti from Downtown March 23, 2009 - 11:15AM

  I was on a flight last week where peanuts were being distributed. A short time later one of the attendants got on the intercom to announce that one person had an allergy to peanuts and requested that those who had chosen peanut packs to not eat the peanuts. Apparently the possible dust from the packets could have caused this person some kind of seizure. I am a bit amazed at the lengths these persons need to go to in order to protect themselves.

  (Disclosure: I was looking forward to those peanuts.)

  
  
• [5] aw from uws March 23, 2009 - 11:15AM

  I don't understand why it is that if you introduce young mice with naive immune systems to allergens early on, they are less likely to mount an adverse reaction to the allergen, whereas the recommendation for peanuts and other allergens in human children is to expose them later to the potential allergens. It doesn't make sense to me! Shouldn't we be exposing them earlier rather than later?

  
  
• [6] kimberly ann from brooklyn, ny March 23, 2009 - 11:31AM

  i'm a little late, but thought i would post just in case sdult with a rather straead this. i haam an adult with a rather strange food allergy. i am allergic to manmade preservatives (anything that is listed as "(a preservative)" on food labels, such as but not limited to... sodium benzoate... potassium citrate... things that sound like that... when i was a kid and got tested, they refused to test for it and called it a "Chemical sensitivity". i usually eat to avoid them, but occasionally when eating out don't think to ask (i think i know what to order most of the time to avoid them...) but occsionally i get terribly sick. does anyone else have this problem? my mom does, but other than her i have never met anyone else with this problem. i've had it since i was about 6, that i know of. my mom had to have her gallbladder removed and her diet is even more limited now. since no "normal" doctor is willing to believe me (i am met with a raised eyebrow; i don't bring it up.) i wondered if anyone reading this might know anything about this problem. is there a name for it? i don't mind it now, it makes me eat more healthy, but it just seems strange to me, still, after all these years.

  
  
• [7] Dr. Andrew Sustiel from New York, NY March 23, 2009 - 12:21PM

  I just want to clarify the answers given to several of the call-in questions posed this morning. I am an allergist on staff at Mount Sinai in New York.

  (1) How to handle labels that read "may contain ___" or "made in a factory that also processes ___"

  These foods should always be considered as CONTAINING the food or ingredient in question, especially if you or your child has a documented allergy to that specific food.

  (2) Another caller said that her child had been diagnosed as being allergic to a specific food on the basis of a positive allergy skin test, but that the child had not only had never had a reaction after eating the food but, had never even eaten the food! The family had been avoiding the food ever since and wanted to know what to. This question points to a common problem in over-diagnosing food allergy on the basis of allergy skin or blood tests to foods without any history of reactions or problems after eating the foods. This problem was recently discussed in an article in the Health section of the NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/health/03well.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=food%20allergy&st=cse). The point here is that food allergy tests should never be done without a history of problems or possible allergic reactions after eating specific foods because of a high likelihood of "false positive" tests.

  One final point. The leading food allergy center in the country is actually right here in New York. Drs. Hugh Sampson leads a team of 14 other researchers and clinicians at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai.

  
  
• [8] Seryn Potter from Brooklyn March 23, 2009 - 04:51PM

  I want to say thank you for having a show addressing food allergies and the severity of the situation we are facing when it comes to food allergies. I have a 7 year old nephew who is allergic to peanuts, treenuts, and shellfish. I am often taken aback at how unaware people are of importance of the term "food allergy" but have to remind myself that you don't know until you really know. I often think a new term should be coined as people think of allergy as an itchy throat or a sneeze or, as Commenter #4 referred to is as a "seizure" as opposed to a what can be a fatal reaction. There should be shows like this more often so that those who do not have loved ones with these severe allergies are made more aware of how truly important it is to be vigilant when they are told someone has a food allergy.