Tasty Tidbits  - The Allergiesandme.com Blog

As you may know, I live in Florida....so no fall weather yet.

However, some of you may have been experiencing some cooling temperatures and starting to think about that scary holiday...Halloween.

Now, for the rest of the world, they would think I am talking about ghosts and goblins...but for those families with Food Allergies, the scary thoughts are about their children being exposed to dangerous foods and candies. Vigilance is key and I know of groups locally that have their own "Allergen Free" Halloween events for their kids. I participated in one last year and it was awesome!

My wonderful friends at FoodAllergyBuzz.com and BestAllergySites.com are putting on a Halloween Twitter Party. Allergiesandme.com is sponsoring the event and will be giving a lucky winner $50 in shopping money to use in our online store. A portion of the sponsored event proceeds go to various food allergy related non-profits.

The event is Friday, October 2nd. These ladies have put together an informative panel of people to provide informative discussions.
Please join us if you can...Halloween with Food Allergies Twitter Party

Have a wonderful weekend!
Jamie

More evidence that we have a long road to accomplish safe food labeling for those with Food Allergies. The study discussed in the story below uncovers the need to demand consistent wording and definitions so that you can shop for the right foods for your families.
This study was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. They surveyed 20,241 manufactured food products and found that
17 % percent included advisory labels. Manufacturers of chocolate confectionery, cookies, and baking mixes accounted for more than 40 percent of these warnings.

You can review more details on this article at Review reveals ambiguous food allergen labeling
By Caroline Scott-Thomas

Please continue your diligent label reading....and call the companies directly if you have any concerns or questions.
As for Allergiesandme.com, we relay what information the manufacturers can give us on their ingredients and processes....and you will soon see a contact page with links to all the companies we sell, with phone and website addresses for your convenience.

Please feel free to give us any feedback on other tips or tools that would help you.

Have a great day!

Jamie

No news right?!! Well, it is interesting to see the percentages!

Here's an article regarding the survey completed by ACAAI that reveals the lack of knowledge the general public has regarding Food Allergies and the dangers.

More educaton and awareness needs to the focus so that everyone is safe. Let's do our part to get the word out!

Many Americans misunderstand food allergies, finds survey
By Caroline Scott-Thomas. FoodNavigator.com

Enjoy your day.
Jamie

In my constant review of research around the globe, I see more and more articles and studies generating from the UK. This particular one refers to mandating a more complete and universal labeling requirement...which is paramount here in the U.S. as well. I know many Allergy Moms and anyone with food allergies or intolerances spend WAY to much time reading labels.Consistent codes/symbols would be a reason to celebrate. And, for those of us that require "cheater glasses" for some of the small wording, our personal vanity issues would be addressed too!

Check out the link below.... 

Use of a common symbol to indicate the presence of individual allergens in food and personal care products could help allergy sufferers identify products to avoid – especially in multi-lingual communities, say specialists from Imperial College. Allergy specialists suggest warning symbol for foods and non-foods.
By Jess Halliday, 31-Jul-2009

Have a wonderful weekend with your families!
Jamie