Allergen food mix

Conventional physical mixing of allergen foods will not produce new allergenic proteins, but it will greatly increase the difficulty of allergy diagnosis and amplify the risk of allergic reactions for highly sensitive people. Mixing in special processing scenarios may even turn originally low-allergenic ingredients into highly allergens.

Last week, I accompanied Minbao's mother downstairs to the community hospital for dietary consultation. In order to save trouble, she mixed the three ingredients of eggs, wheat, and mango that she had just tried for the baby to make steamed cake. Within 10 minutes of eating, the baby's mouth turned red and turned into a small peach, and he had to vomit and vomit for half a night. When we arrived at the hospital, the doctor also had a problem - the three ingredients were all common high-allergens. When mixed together, it was impossible to identify the culprit of the allergy immediately. They tried separately for a week before they found out that they were allergic to mango, which cost them several extra days.

In fact, there have been two completely different voices in the academic community regarding the risks of mixing allergens. Most academic nutritionists think that "mixing itself is harmless". After all, the core of food allergy is a specific protein structure. If you pour peanuts and milk into a bowl, the peanut Ara The h-series allergenic proteins still have their original molecular structure, and the α-lactalbumin of milk will not mutate out of thin air. Just like putting red beans and mung beans in a jar, it is impossible for a new bean seed to grow. As long as there are no chemical changes such as enzymatic hydrolysis and Maillard reaction, it is impossible to generate new allergens. It is perfectly fine for ordinary people to mix them and eat them casually.

However, most doctors and nurses who have been working in allergy clinics for several years do not agree with this "paper talk" conclusion. Last time I had dinner with a friend who is a nurse in Xiehe Department of Allergy, she casually mentioned several cases: There is a girl who is mildly allergic to peaches. She usually gets a bit itchy at the corners of her mouth after eating one. One time, she and her friends mixed peaches and pineapple for a milkshake. The protease in the pineapple directly dissolved the oral mucosa and caused tiny damage that was invisible to the naked eye. ； There is also a young man who is allergic to nuts. After eating a bowl of Maoxuewang from a hot pot restaurant, he was allergic and went to the hospital. After a long search, he found out that the store had ground peanuts into the hot pot base to enhance the flavor. It was mixed with chili pepper and could not be tasted. It was not marked on the menu. He did not know who to talk to for explanation.

What’s even more interesting is the “mixed desensitization method” that is very popular on the Internet. Many bloggers say that by mixing trace amounts of allergens into daily food and eating them, you can slowly build up tolerance. This statement is so controversial that it can almost make doctors from nutrition departments and allergists quarrel. Indeed, clinical data shows that for children with mild to moderate egg and milk allergies, if they mix a very small amount of allergen powder into rice cereal and porridge every day and eat it under the full supervision of doctors, more than 60% of children can establish long-term tolerance within 1-2 years. I have a friend's child who developed hives after taking a sip of milk. After following this method for a year and a half, he can now drink fresh milk normally. But there are also a lot of negative cases. A colleague’s child is mildly allergic to dust mites. He mixed dust mite drops into honey and gave it to the baby according to a folk recipe on the Internet. Within half a month of taking it, he developed allergic asthma. Now he doesn’t even dare to do strenuous exercise. There are too many variables in this method, such as the dosage of allergens, the mixed carriers, and the physical condition of the user. Everything could go wrong. Trying it at home is just a fool’s errand.

To be honest, in the five or six years I have been working as a family dietary guide, I have met too many people who have fallen into trouble because of random mixing of allergens. I will not tell the consultation person that "absolutely not" or "you can mix it casually". I usually only give the two most practical suggestions: If you are giving supplements to your baby Parents who eat food, or have just been diagnosed with food allergies and are investigating allergens. Newly exposed highly sensitive foods must be eaten separately. Only add one kind at a time. Observe for 3 days if there is no abnormality before trying the next one. Don't try to save trouble by making a "nutritional chowder". If you become allergic, you won't even be able to find the culprit.； If you already know clearly that you are allergic to certain ingredients, try to avoid categories such as smorgasbords, compound sauces, and freshly squeezed mixed drinks when eating out. You never know what unlabeled allergens the store will add to the sauces and bases in order to enhance the flavor.

Of course, don’t talk too much about “mixing” discoloration. If you don’t have any history of food allergies or are not hypersensitive, then it’s okay to mix them up in any way. I often mix strawberries, blueberries, yogurt, oats, and chia seeds together to make overnight oats, and I’ve been eating them for five or six years without any problems. The so-called allergy risk is originally a special reminder for people with high allergies. There is no need for ordinary people to put shackles on themselves.

In fact, there is no one-size-fits-all standard answer to the matter of mixing allergenic foods. What body type you have, what ingredients are mixed, how they are processed, and what physical state you are in when you eat them are all variables that affect the results. Don’t listen to the black and white conclusions on the Internet, and pay more attention to the physical reactions of yourself and your family. It is more reliable than anything else.