Allergies in children: fruits, vegetables poultry, meat and fish as allergensAllergy to Fruits and Vegetables The citrus group (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, and tangerines) usually causes allergies in the nose and chest; berries (strawberries and raspberries) usually cause hives; peaches, cantaloupes, bananas, apples, grapes, pears, pineapples, cherries, and watermelon usually cause throat irritation and abdominal discomfort. Allergy to any one of the members of the citrus group entails the removal of all the members of the group from the diet. However, allergy to the other fruits should be considered on an individual basis. Sometimes one species of a particular fruit may cause allergies, while the other species may not; for example, the American strawberry may cause hives, while the European strawberry may not. The peels of peaches and oranges may cause allergies, while the fruit itself may not. Unripe fruit may cause allergies, while the ripe fruit may not. Cooking, canning, or freezing a fruit also alters its allergenic powers. Vegetables rarely cause allergies and will not be considered here. Allergy to Poultry, Meat, Fish Chicken, duck, goose, hen, squab, and turkey should be avoided as a group in the case of allergy to any one of them. Furthermore, fowl may contain eggs in their insides which may cause egg allergy. (In order to avoid this, an egg-sensitive person should eat only capons or roosters.) Antibiotics and sex hormones which are frequently added to the food of fowl may cause allergy. Pork, ham, and bacon may be allergenic and may be contacted unknowingly in the lard used as shortening for cakes, in the bacon drippings used to fry foods, and in the insulin used in the treatment of diabetes. Likewise, beef and veal may be contained in gelatin, in the diced veal which is used to flavor chicken salads, and in the extracts of organs of cows and calves. Lamb and mutton are hypoallergenic meats which may substitute for pork and veal. Fish is a highly allergenic food. However, canned tuna or salmon is usually better tolerated than fresh fish. Products of the fish industry (such as caviar, glue, cod liver oil, and halibut oil) should also be avoided by the child who is allergic to fish. Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, oyster, shrimp, scallops, mussel, abalone, clams, squid, and crayfish) are all extremely allergenic foods which should be avoided by all atopic children as a matter of principle. An allergist does not dare test for shellfish because the patient is usually already aware of his allergy from a previous bad experience and testing for them may cause violent allergic reactions. *10/99/5* ALLERGIES «Generic Pharmacy» |