One of the common food allergies in children’s is caused by Eggs. It starts with simple symptoms but can lead to serious conditions. Egg is been allergic to the body when body’s immunity system sensitively reacts with the proteins in the yolks. When eggs are taken body finds proteins as foreign invader and sends out chemicals to protect against it. This chemical turns to an allergy. Such allergies can be commonly seen in children’s from an early age. Most children outgrow their egg allergy before adolescence, but not all. Some allergic symptoms will be mild. Skin rashes, shortness of breath, running nose, hives, eczema, watery eyes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or Anaphylaxis are the common symptoms seen in egg allergic person.
‘Not to use eggs’ is the best way to avoid eggs in an allergic person. But somewhere it is not possible as eggs is a hidden ingredient in many foods such canned soups, salad dressings, ice creams, chocolates, bread, cake, bakery biscuits and mainly in meat based dishes. In some vaccines also small amount of egg protein is being used.
Egg was considered one of the eighth allergic food among milk, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, fish, crustacean shellfish and tree nut under ‘Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act’ (FALCPA) of 2004. After this law, food manufacturers need to label every ingredient which contains protein from a major food allergen. To avoid egg is impossible for all allergic to eggs. But, people with egg allergy can sometimes bear baked products and other food containing eggs, as the egg used is heated for a prolonged period at a high temperature.
Better to consult your doctor about your allergy and ask for the food to be avoided. Antihistamines may help to relieve mild symptoms of egg allergy, such as itching. But an individual highly allergic to egg should go to doctor for proper subscription. Take advice from your dietician and change your egg recipes with eggless ones. You can also use egg replacement products available in the market. Commercial egg replacement products (such as Ener-G brand Egg Replacer, a popular powdered product that is available in food stores across the U.S.) generally will work for either binding or leavening purposes. You can also use mixture made of 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil mixed with 1 ½ tbsp water and 1 tsp baking powder per egg for recipes where egg primarily is used as leavening agent. Another egg substitute is ground flax seeds as it work as a great binder. 1 tbsp. ground flax seeds are mixed to 3 tbsp. of water to replace 1 egg. Some other egg substitutes that can be used are silken tofu, banana, apple sauce, and baking soda.
Don’t forget to check our Eggless Brownies recipe.
