Moving Toward a Cure: FAAN Walk for Food Allergy

This fall, Neocate will be attending the FAAN Walk for Food Allergy in several different cities around the country. These walks are organized by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network to raise public awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.

Here is a list of the walks Neocate will be participating in:

Houston, TX – September 12
Long Branch, NJ – September 12
San Francisco, CA – September 12
Chicago, IL – September 26
Fairfax, VA – September 26
Boston, MA – October 4
Baltimore, MD – October 10
Long Island, NY – October 11
Ridgewood, NJ – October 18
Philadelphia – October 31
Dallas, TX – November 14

For a complete list of cities and to register for a walk in your area, visit the FAAN Web site. Are you and your children planning on attending a walk or organizing a team? If so, we would love to hear how you are participating! And if you are going to be attending any of the walks mentioned above, make sure you stop by the Neocate booth and say hi!

-Nita

Product Recall Alert – Kroger Super Kids Enriched White Sandwich Bread

If you are making sandwiches for your children’s first week of school, watch out! National grocery store chain Kroger has issued a recall of Kroger brand Super Kids Enriched White Sandwich Bread because it may contain milk, which is not listed as an ingredient on the label.

The bread is sold in 20-ounce packages with the UPC number 1111000831, and lists various “Best If Used By” dates. Kroger stores in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia are recalling the bread.

Customers should return the product to stores for a refund or replacement. If you have questions about the recall, you can contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 632-6900. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/29LBjx.

P.S. Always read labels carefully. Though it doesn’t apply in this case (the Kroger bread didn’t list milk on the label at all) sometimes milk shows up on packaged good/formula labels as other names like “casein” or “whey.”

-Mallory

A Summer Treat: Dairy Free Ice Cream

With the heat and humidity reaching their peaks this month, we wanted to share with you a recipe for dairy-free ice cream that is both nutritious and delicious for your little ones.

Nutra Apple Milk-Free Ice Cream

Ingredients:

8 scoops (37 g) Neocate Nutra powder
3 Tbsp applesauce, unsweetened
2 fl oz water
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp sugar (optional)

Blend ingredients. Place in a container and freeze for approximately 3 hours. Serve and enjoy.

Yields one serving.

Nutritional Information:

Calories - 200
Protein - 3 g
Carbohydrate - 32 g
Fat - 7 g
Calcium - 257 mg
Vitamin D - 2 mcg

For some other ideas, including a recipe for mashed potatoes and applesauce oatmeal, check out Neocate’s Nutra Recipe Guide.

Remember, only use recipes that have ingredients that are easily tolerated by your baby or child.

Do you have a favorite recipe that you use? We encourage you to share it with us. And let us know what you think of the Nutra Apple Milk-Free Ice Cream recipe above.

-Christine

Kiddie Crusaders Are Increasing Food Allergy Awareness

Many parents of food allergic children are involved in the movement to increase food allergy awareness and safety, but I recently read some impressive stories about two remarkable kids who are taking action in support of the estimated 12 million Americans suffering from a food allergy.

Kyle Graddy of Auburn, Alabama is a nine-year-old suffering from a peanut allergy. In September, Kyle will travel to Capitol Hill to take part in the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Kids Congress as a representative of Alabama, where he will speak with U.S. Senators about his experiences and the issues facing those with food allergies. During his visit, he will also support the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act.

“I want people to understand that while food allergies are real and can be serious, that kids with allergies are just like other kids,” says Kyle about his activism.

Another youngster making headlines is Denver, Colorado’s Sophie Matthews, also age nine. Sophie suffers from allergies to dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and fish. To spread awareness about food allergies, she started a group at her school, Kyffin Elementary, for food allergic kids and their friends. The group, “Kyffin Pals”, discusses experiences with allergic reactions and learns how to recognize one in a friend. The group also participates in activities like a “pretend grocery store” where they practice reading labels for allergens and a tour of a real ambulance, to make any real trips to the hospital less scary.

Sophie is also the Child Ambassador for Denver’s Food Allergy Walk, and enjoys creating allergy safe recipes.

It’s great when anyone works to raise awareness about food allergies, but I am especially amazed by kids who are taking control of their challenges and making a positive impact on the rest of the world. I encourage all allergy parents to help their kids take part in raising awareness of food allergy issues.

I’m sure these children aren’t the only ones with amazing stories about living with food allergies. Please share your children’s stories with us!

-Nita

Neocate is now on Facebook!

Soy Allergies on the Rise

We’ve posted before about soy allergies and noted that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics as many as 70% of babies with milk protein allergies are also allergic to soy. Typically, soy allergies are associated with infants who have reactions to soy-based formulas and outgrow the allergy by the time they reach kindergarten.

However, as demand for soy continues to rise and more soy ingredients are being used in processed foods, a growing number of adults are developing soy allergies as well.

Soy is now considered one of the most common potential food allergens — along with peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, and wheat, but it wasn’t always so. According to AllergyKids.com, soy allergies increased by 50% in 1996. The reason? While the true cause of such a startling increase is not known, some experts attribute it to a new type of genetically engineered soy that was introduced that year.

Unfortunately, researchers haven't been able to identify exactly what parts of soy cause allergic reactions. Like milk and other common allergens, there are several proteins found in soy that have been shown to be allergenic.

If you or your little one do develop an allergy to soy, make sure to read all labels. Some common ingredients to look for that contain soy include:

• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Lecithin
• Monodiglyceride
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Vegetable oil
• Vitamin E
• Natural flavoring
• Vegetable broth
• Vegetable gum
• Vegetable starch

- Christine

Neocate is now on Facebook!

Cross-Contamination at Home

If your little one suffers from severe food allergies, you are probably aware of the risk of cross-contamination in the factories where food is manufactured. Unfortunately, this is not the only place where cross-contamination can occur. If you have other family members who eat allergenic foods, then you can run the risk of contaminating your home and the safe foods that your allergic child eats.

Here are a few tips to avoid cross-contamination:

1) Label your foods as “Safe” and “Unsafe” and keep them stored in separate areas of the refrigerator or pantry. The same goes for plates, utensils and cups. Keep a separate set for your allergic child, and make sure that they look different to avoid a potential mix-up.

2) When preparing a meal, always make non-allergenic foods first. You should also leave allergenic ingredients in the pantry/fridge until you are completely finished preparing your allergic child’s meal. It is also a good idea to serve food in only the kitchen and dining room. This way you don’t have to worry about stray crumbs or residue in other parts of the house.

3) Finally, one of the best (and easiest!) defenses against cross-contamination is frequent hand washing. Everyone in your household should wash their hands after touching or eating allergenic foods and before touching or serving non-allergenic foods.

What have you done to prevent cross-contamination at home? Have any of you completely eliminated allergenic foods from your household?

-Sarah

Neocate is now on Facebook!

Tips for Your Allergic Little One’s First Day of School or Daycare

The first day of school or daycare is an exciting time for young children, but introducing food allergic little ones into a new environment can be dangerous. It is important to educate and remind your children’s teachers and caregivers about food allergy precautions and safety before they begin their new adventure.

Here are some simple steps you can follow to make sure that the transition into a new environment is a safe one for your child:

1) Schedule a back-to-school check up with your pediatrician or allergist to make sure that your current treatment plan is still effective.

2) Document your child’s allergies and treatment plan in school or daycare paperwork.

3) Provide teachers and caregivers with brochures and information on your child’s allergy to prevent accidents.

4) Create a one page “Cheat Sheet” with information about your child’s allergies for substitutes or new employees.

5) Discuss what to do in case of an emergency. Ask your pediatrician about keeping an EpiPen on-site. Be sure to train the caregiver on when and how to use one.

6) Make sure that your child fully understands what can trigger their allergy.

7) Look at upcoming lunch or snack menus and identify safe options, also provide the school with a list of safe foods that your little one can enjoy at any time.

8) If no safe options are available, pack food from home and warn your child not to share with their classmates.

9) Offer to bring in allergy-safe treats for holidays and special events. This way you know that your child is safe, and he/she won’t feel excluded from the fun!

Other tips? Let us know what you are doing to prepare your child for the upcoming school year.

- Nita

Neocate is now on Facebook!

Safer Food is Just Around the Corner

Great news! The House of Representatives recently approved a food-safety bill that aims to improve safety standards on food production in the U.S.

Although the bill wasn’t aimed at allergies specifically, it tackles some big problems that have arisen in recent months due to contamination and lax safety procedures. The author of the bill, Representative John D. Dingell, says it “will fundamentally change the way in which we ensure the safety of our food supply.”

The most important part of this bill? It gives the FDA a lot more power to recall food if the manufacturers haven’t followed safety procedures. This should help parents of food allergic children, who have to worry about food contamination even more than the rest of the general public. The bill also aims to prevent contamination problems before food is distributed, which means people won’t have to get sick to prompt a recall and inspection.

Now more than ever it is important to bring policy matters related to food allergies to the attention of lawmakers. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA) has been reintroduced to Congress. To find out how you can ask your representatives and senators to help, please visit the Food Allergy Awareness Network Web site.

What other food allergy-related issues do you hope Congress addresses soon?

-Mallory

Neocate is now on Facebook!