Product Recall Alert – Mislabeled Cheese Franks

Sara Lee North American Retail is recalling approximately 1,728 pounds of cheese frankfurters produced on February 12, 2009 and shipped to distribution centers around the country.

The cheese frankfurters were accidentally packaged with the beef frank labels and therefore, milk is not listed as an ingredient on the label. Anyone with milk protein allergy or milk intolerance should not eat this product.

The package label reads “Ball Park Brand Beef Franks” and has the UPC code of “5450010002.” To see the label of the recalled product, click here.

The products are currently being removed from all store and warehouse shelves.

For the entire story, click here.

And contact the Sara Lee consumer affairs recall hotline at (888) 891-6100 if you have any questions.

- Christine

Have a Happy Allergy-Free Easter!

The weather is getting warmer and the flowers are beginning to bloom. It’s Spring time. I’m sure you are ready for the warm weather, but are you ready for an allergy-free Easter? Often, holidays like this one are hard for allergy parents. It’s tough to tell your little one that they can’t have the chocolate bunnies like the other children. However, by doing a few fun Easter activities, your child will have just as much fun as the rest of the children!

As we’ve said before, allergy parents should focus on the fun - not the food - during holidays. I was flipping through Parents magazine the other day, and came across a great idea for safely celebrating Easter. Have a tea party! While this might not sound like the traditional Easter celebration, it’s a great way to create a fun and exciting day for your little one.

Spend the day making decorations for the party. You can create name tags, invitations and fake flower bouquets. And of course, you can use plastic teacups for the drinks. For the food, focus on allergy-free treats. You can make your own sandwiches or cookies with allergen free ingredients. Check out this Web site for allergy-free recipes.

The traditional Easter egg hunt is another great way to get your children involved in the celebration. However, instead of filling the eggs with candy that could trigger a reaction, use stickers, bouncy balls or other fun toys.

For other great allergy-free Easter ideas, click here.

How are you having an allergy-free Easter? I’d love to hear your ideas.

- Nita

Guest Blog on AllergyMoms.com

Recently, I wrote a guest blog for Gina Clowes of AllergyMoms.com. Click here to read my entry on the economic impact of food allergies.

- Sarah

Blood Tests Can Cause Misdiagnosis of Food Allergies

A few months ago, my colleague wrote an a entry on a New York Time’s article that touted an increase in the misdiagnosis of food allergies. A similar study was presented this weekend at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s (AAAAI) annual meeting.

According to the study by David Fleischer, M.D. of National Jewish Health in Denver, common blood tests for food-specific serum IgE’s are often wrong and aren’t a good basis for restricting children’s diets. The study included supervising oral food challenges — in which children observed by professionals are fed increasing amounts of suspect foods over time to gauge their reactions. The study showed that 50 percent of the kids tested could tolerate foods they had been told to avoid.

To read more about the study, click here.

And if you have any questions, send them my way!

- Christine

Food Allergy Safety Update

I’ve been following the food allergy labeling debate for awhile now. Back in September, we blogged about a hearing held by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a long-term strategy to clear up accidental-allergy warnings that are misleading consumers. According to a study released this weekend at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s annual meeting, this is still a safety concern for all food allergy parents.

The study found that a small number of food products with the “may contain” label actually do contain allergens. 5.3 percent of randomly selected grocery store food items with this label contained detectable levels of egg, milk or peanut and 2 percent of food products with no such warning also contained allergens. In all, 399 products were tested.

To read the entire US News & World Report article on the study, click here.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 required new labels for packaged foods containing major allergens, but the “may contain” labels were not covered in this Act.

As we’ve said before, be very vigilant when purchasing food products for your little ones that you have not made yourself. Unfortunately, potential allergens may still be in a food product, even if it’s not on the label.

On a positive note, President Obama has vowed to help with food safety in his recent weekly address. He announced his appointments to the FDA and covered the recent salmonella scare in the Georgia peanut plan. Click here to check out a Wall Street Journal article on the topic.

Any questions or comments? I’d love to hear them.

- Nita

eBay Scam Follow-up

A few months ago, my fellow blogger wrote an entry on online formula scams. A man from Omaha, Nebraska was selling Neocate on eBay to parents, but after making the sale never shipped the formula. Luckily, they caught the man back then but his sentence was just announced.

Joseph A. Boylan, 33, was charged with one count of a felony theft by deception and was sentenced to five years probation.

To read the entire article, click here.

This is just a friendly reminder about the dangers of buying formula from bidding sites:

•While you might find prices to be slightly cheaper on these sites, you have no way of verifying who is selling you the product;

•The formula may not have been stored properly, which could cause the ingredients to be altered;

•The person selling the formula could have tampered with the product making it dangerous for your little one to drink; and

•The formula could be expired.

To be on the safe side, purchase your formula from the manufacturer’s Web site or from your local pharmacy so that you are confident that the formula is safe and that you are getting what you ordered.

- Christine

What is a “Super” Hypoallergenic Formula?

Recently, I’ve received a lot of questions regarding the different types of hypoallergenic formulas that are out there. Often, babies with milk protein allergies will try several formulas before finding one that actually works.

Here’s a run-down of formulas for you.

Hydrolysate Formula: Nutramigen and Alimentum are hydrolysate formulas. Although these formulas are hypoallergenic, the protein in these formulas is only partially broken down. Therefore, allergic reactions can still occur when on this formula.

Amino Acid-Based Formula: Around the office, this formula has been called “super” hypoallergenic, meaning it is made from individual non-allergenic amino acids, making it easy for babies to digest. Neocate and Elecare are both amino acid-based formulas, but only Neocate is manufactured in a 100% dairy free environment.

Sometimes, babies with symptoms of milk protein allergy are given a hydrolysate formula first to see if it works. If the baby is still sick after several weeks, the doctor then recommends switching to an amino acid-based formula. However, that can mean many weeks (that feel like an eternity!) of a sick, miserable, undernourished baby and exhausted, stressed out parents.

So, some doctors recommend starting with the amino acid-based formula – which they know will provide the baby with relief fast if he or she has milk protein allergy. If the baby does well on it (for infants with milk protein allergy, symptoms usually resolve within three days of starting Neocate), after a few weeks parents can try to transition the baby to a hydrolysate. If the Neocate doesn’t help the baby, that tells the doctor right away that it is not a milk protein allergy causing the baby’s symptoms and the medical team needs to do some more investigative work to find out what’s really wrong. If you have a baby recently diagnosed with milk protein allergy, talk to your doc about the best approach.

For more information on formulas, check out this blog entry that my fellow blogger posted a few months ago.

And if you think your little one might have a milk protein allergy, but hasn’t been diagnosed yet, make an appointment with your doctor and check out http://www.testforallergy.com/ — it’s a good educational resource for potential allergy parents.

Any questions? Let me know!

- Nita

New Food Allergy Educational Resource

As an allergy parent, you’re most likely always looking out for new information and tips on how to prevent allergic reactions and keep your little one safe.

Food Allergy Safety 101 is a new Web site that was launched for food allergy parents. It covers everything from how to avoid allergens and ingredients to stay way from to cross-contamination prevention. It also has a list of newsletters and blogs to check out.

To view the entire site, click here or visit www.testforallergy.com/FAS101.

What do you think about the site? I’d love to know!

- Christine

New Food Allergy Legislation in the Works!

Last week, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) announced his co-sponsorship of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2009, a bill introduced by U.S. Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN). If passed, the Act would help schools protect the more than 2.2 million allergy prone little ones in the United States.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2009 would provide voluntary, consistent food allergy guidelines for schools and incentive grants to schools that choose to implement these guidelines. The guidelines would be developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education within one year of the enactment of this Act.

To read a one page summary of the legislation, click here.

This legislation is supported by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, the National Association of School Nurses, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Food Allergy Initiative and the National Restaurant Association.

If you have any specific questions regarding the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2009, contact (202) 224-2823.

- Nita