Updated: How far do you go to avoid "Manuf. in a facility that processes..." foods

lmdbww · June 2011

DD has a cashew allergy but is fine w/other nuts and peanuts. Allergist advised just to go fully nut free just because it's easier (she doesn't really like them anyway). I have epi-pens for her but havent had to use them.

How far do you go to avoid the foods that say "Manuf. in a facility that processes (peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, dairy, whatever)"? For example, if it says peanuts but your LO has only a tree nut allergy, do you still let them have it?

Is this a ridiculous question?

Updated: I also just thought of this. I've pretty much avoided any store bought baked goods (except for a specific pre-packaged brand of cupcakes sold in my grocery store's bakery because the label says they are made in a fully nut free facility). However, I just thought about it and realized that i've been giving DD the freshly baked bread made in the store's bakery. She's been fine with no reaction. Kind of a "duh" moment on my part. lol

I'm not trying to make excuses to give her things, or risk a reaction, i'm just genuinely curious I guess.

Temp970088312507122 · June 2011

DD1 has a severe peanut allergy (not sure about tree nuts, she's being retested Monday) and has reacted to foods processed on shared equipment. So we avoid all of that. If you're SURE your DD is not allergic to peanuts, I guess I wouldn't avoid foods processed in a facility that handles peanuts. I'd probably avoid foods processed in a facility that handles tree nuts though.

ETA: DH has a cousin who is allergic to tree nuts but not peanuts. He can eat peanut products with no problem. He's 8-9 now and can usually differentiate between tree nuts and peanuts.

Babymamawithdrama · June 2011

It would depend on how severe or a reaction my child had previously.... with DS I try to avoid processed on equipment that processes other items with eggs (usually pasta) .... but if I pick up a package that was processed at a plant.... I wouldn't restrict him from that meal.... also if we are out and I order the Mac and cheese I don't ask if it was the pasta was made with eggs or processed at a plant...

mrs_kelly1014 · June 2011

If it has a warning, DS definitely doesn't eat it. If it doesn't have may contain warnings, I call the manufacturer to find out. And if it is shared facilities or machinery, he doesn't eat it.

aniceucchik · June 2011

Jacob has reacted to pasta that was made of shared equipment, so ever since then we avoid things that say that. The more he is exposed to allergens, the more it breaks down his cells, which create more spots on his skin, which can eventually lead to cancer, so we avoid all we can.

DiademChi · June 2011

This isn't a silly question. The answer all depends on the severity of the allergy. Nut allergies can be very severe. If your child is prone to the severest reactions, I would avoid even possible cross contamination (ie in a same facility).

I am allergic to almonds, but no other nuts. I have some throat swelling, hives, nausea, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea from the consumption of almonds. However, I don't consider myself as high risk, and will still eat food processed in a facility that handles nuts.

HazelBee22 · June 2011

Hm. I made the mistake of trusting the Snickers "May Contain Tree nuts" statement as a cross-contamination warning only. Negative. They did not have a bolded allergen statement, instead required that you read for allergens. After reading said May Contain I assumed that it didn't contain tree nuts, only that it was processed in a facility. Nope. Swollen throat and stomach cramps confirm that I should have read all the ingreds. Right there - Almonds.

Damn.

Long story short - don't rely on the statement alone.

chloephoebecali · June 2011

I was a little lenient on that until DD started getting random hives out of nowhere from a product that she previously had no problem, but noted shared facilities. Then what really changed my mind was when she had a pretty bad reaction to an item that didn't even note cross-contamination potential/facility, etc. It was a generic brand crackers. I called the company - Shoprite, to see what the story was, and they could not guarantee anything. They only distribute (buy from other companies), so they cannot guarantee facility/machines. Now I am sticking to companies that promise to note any potential anything.

MrsBeckO · June 2011

We started out being very strict on not buying anything that processed in a shared facility. After a while we got a little lax with it but still watched her closely, and so far she's been about 50-50 on what she can have. There's a certain generic local brand that we have to avoid entirely, the 2 things she's had from them that were "processed in a facility with" she's reacted to. So we've mentally black-listed that brand. Other than that, she's been fine with a couple other things labeled that way.

She does not have a life-threatening allergy, though, to the best of our knowledge. She gets some crazy hives and sometimes eye-swelling but she's never reacted in a way that makes her mouth/tongue swell or gives her breathing difficulties. If she had ever reacted in a life-threatening way, we'd be EXTREMELY strict about it. {obviously}

**Gretchen** · June 2011

I don't. I have a severe peanut allergy (if I kiss H after he's eaten peanuts my lips tingle/swell).

It's not something that was ever on labels when I was growing up and I'm fairly confident it's there just to avoid lawsuits.

I'm very big on base rates. The chances of me actually getting sick from something made in a factory that also processes other things on other equipment is really low in my eyes. And I have an epi-pen and am pretty confident in my abilities to use it and get to a hospital if I'm extremely unlucky sometime.

I guess you just have to weigh the risks/benefits. I still want to eat oreos and don't think a .002% chance is worth it for me to forgo them.

ZacksBride · June 2011

we personally do not avoid things that were just processed on machinery that may contain blah blah blah... ds has allergies to milk (hives), and on testing he is positive to eggs, tree nuts and peanuts - but he has never had a reaction to anything that is just porcess on shared machinery so we don't avoid.

mrs_kelly1014 · June 2011

Someone posted on Kids with Food Allergies about a research study that was conducted recently regarding this issue. It showed that 10% of all products with a "May Contain" or "Processed in a facility with" actually DO contain the ingredient.

The scariest part to me is that they are not required to add 'may contain' statements.

magdusia · June 2011

we avoid all cross contamination completely.

My local "mrs.greens" store has a peanut and almond machine and it's the only one i found that does not say "may contain" and we use the almond machine. (my son is allergic to peanuts). The whole foods stores also have a peanut and almond machine but i will not use it b/c it says "may contain" on it.

terpsfan · June 2011

**Gretchen**:
I don't. I have a severe peanut allergy (if I kiss H after he's eaten peanuts my lips tingle/swell).
It's not something that was ever on labels when I was growing up and I'm fairly confident it's there just to avoid lawsuits.
I'm very big on base rates. The chances of me actually getting sick from something made in a factory that also processes other things on other equipment is really low in my eyes. And I have an epi-pen and am pretty confident in my abilities to use it and get to a hospital if I'm extremely unlucky sometime.
I guess you just have to weigh the risks/benefits. I still want to eat oreos and don't think a .002% chance is worth it for me to forgo them.

Yup, this is the approach we take with my DD (allergic to tree nuts). I don't hand her handfuls of almonds or cashews to eat and don't let her eat anything that fully contains the allergen (like an Almond Joy or pesto sauce or something like that) but I do not pay attention to the "manufactured in" type warnings. Our allergist described our DD as an "allergy ticking time bomb" meaning that she presents potentially allergic to many things and to EXPECT her allergies to evolve and develop over time...meaning what's bad today might not be bad later (yay) and what's not bad today (peanuts) may be bad later..boo. So we are kept on our toes but she doesn't live in a bubble. We keep our epi-pen on hand at all times and know what to look for with her signs of a reaction to get her to a hosp right away.

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