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According to an article I just read on Web MD, foods and cosmetics containing the color additives carmine and cochineal extract, which are made from an insect, must list those ingredients on their labels starting on January 5, 2011.

The FDA published that new rule in yesterday's edition of the Federal Register, citing reports of "severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis" in a "small subset" of people with allergies.

What Are the Symptoms of Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis may begin with severe itching of the eyes or face, followed by these symptoms, usually within minutes of exposure to the allergen:

* Swelling of the throat, lips, and tongue.
* Difficulty breathing, caused by swelling of the throat and constricting of the airways.
* Difficulty swallowing.
* Hives.
* Generalized flushing (redness and warmth) of the skin.
* Abdominal cramps and nausea.
* Increased heart rate.
* Sudden weakness.
* Drop in blood pressure.
* Vomiting or diarrhea.
* Swelling throughout the body.
* Shock.
* Unconsciousness.

In its new rule, the FDA states that it doesn't consider carmine and cochineal extract to be "major" food allergens, and that carmine and cochineal extract are safe when used in accordance with regulations for color additives.

The FDA won't require food labels to state that carmine and cochineal extract are derived from insects. And the labels won't have to flag those ingredients as potential allergens.

Labels: allergies, Anaphylaxis

Pediatric Allergy and Immunology is something I never knew would fascinate me and in all likelihood it wouldn't have if my son didn't have an IgA Deficiency. But he does and so I read and learn and grow.

A study was recently done on 460 children living in Minorca, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean. No special diet was required, they were just looked after and wrote a food diary.

The results of the study are pretty interesting. Kids who ate the most tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, green beans, and zucchini were 62% least likely to have asthma or wheezing. Kids who ate more than 60 grams of fish per day were 57% less likely to test positive for allergies.

There you have it, Brian, we're having fish tonight.

Source

Labels: allergies, asthma, fish, food, vegetables