Egg Allergy
The egg is made up of various proteins, many of which are highly allergenic. Egg allergy is generally agreed to be one of the most common causes of food allergy in infants and young children.
The four major allergenic proteins of hen's egg white are ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransfferin and lysozyme. The most allergenic is ovalbumin, makes up fifty percent of an egg white.
Most people with an egg allergy are allergic to the egg white proteins, but there are those who are allergic to the yolk. The egg yolk contains different allergenic proteins than the egg white.
The symptoms associated with egg allergy include allergic rhinitis, asthma, dermatitis, diarrhea, gastrointestinal symptoms, hives, nausea, vomiting, wheezing and anaphylaxis.
Egg-white is often responsible for early development of eczema, urticaria and atopic dermatitis (AD) during infancy.
Parents of egg allergic children have to read labels carefully: many common foods contain eggs or egg products. Shampoos, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals (certain vaccines that grown on chick embryos may cause severe allergic reactions) sometimes contain egg proteins. So, warning for the terms egg white, egg yolk, powdered egg, whole egg, albumin, globulin, livetin, lysozyme, ovalbumin, ovoglobulin, ovomucin, ovomucoid, ovotransferrin, ovovitelia, ovovitellin, silici albuminate, simplesse and vitellin.
Where are eggs?
If you or your baby have eggs allergy and must follow an egg free diet, you must avoid all foods that contain all types of eggs (not only chicken but also hen, duck and goose).
Here there are several common foods that usually contain eggs:
Egg products and dishes | All raw and cooked eggs regardless of cooking method used, frozen eggs, powdered egg, omelettes, quiche, frittatas, mayonnaise
| Cereal and grain products | Egg pasta, egg noodles
|
Meat, fish, poultry and alternatives
| Meat loaf, meat balls, hamburgers |
Beverages | Eggnog, malted drinks, some milk drink mixes |
Confectionery and sweet dishes | All types of confectionery, custards, puddings, certain ice blocks, macaroons, meringue, mousse, pavlova, ice cream, doughnuts, royal icing (e.g. on traditional wedding and Christmas cakes) |
Sauces and dressings | Sauces in general including béarnaise, hollandaise, tartare, mayonnaise, salad dressings |
Baked goods | Cakes, pastry, biscuits, commercial icing on cakes, quiche, doughnuts, glazed rolls/pastries/buns, marzipan, soufflés, glazed fruits |
Miscellaneous | Battered foods, fritters |
Empty egg boxes and eggshells should not be touched by those with an egg allergy.
The most common ingredients that are or may contain eggs are:
- Albumen
- Avidin
- Egg, whole
- Egg solids
- Egg yolk
- Glaze (in baked goods e.g. Pies, buns)
- Imitation egg products
- Lysozyme
- Ovalbumin
- Ovomucin, ovomucoid, ovomuxoid
| - Apovitellin
- Dried eggs
- Egg albumen
- Egg white and solids
- Flavoproteins
- Globulin
- Livetin
- Meringue mix
- Ovglycoprotein
- Powdered egg
|
Lecithin may be derived from egg but rarely causes an adverse food reaction. Check with you doctor or dietitian if you must avoid also egg lecithin (e322).