by Antony Ham Pong, MBBS
Dr. Ham-Pong is lecturer, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa; consultant, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; private practitioner.

Egg allergy usually begins in infancy, often soon after egg is started. Children who are egg allergic will often refuse egg when it is given to them. It usually disappears by age five to seven years, but may sometimes be lifelong. Egg white, especially raw or poorly cooked causes more severe allergy than egg yolk (yellow) e.g., tasting raw batter, playing with egg shells, or egg white icing. Mildly egg allergic children can often eat food prepared with small amounts of egg e.g., cakes, muffins, without an immediate reaction. However, these trace quantities may aggravate eczema, and may cause the egg allergy to stay longer. Therefore unless told otherwise, all eggs should be avoided, even in traces in baked goods in the first few years of life. Egg allergic people are not usually allergic to chicken. Eggplant is okay.

An allergic reaction to a food usually begins within minutes but may be delayed 2 - 4 hours, and usually lasts less than one day. The more severe the allergy, the smaller the amount required to cause a reaction. Typical immediate allergic reactions to foods include rash, hives or redness around the mouth, which may spread to the rest of the body, immediate runny nose, sneezing and itchy watery eyes, coughing, choking or gagging, wheezing and trouble breathing, and cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. The allergic reaction can stop at any stage, or may cause anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction which involves several parts of the body and can lead to death.

WHAT CONTAINS EGG?
 

WHAT MAY CONTAIN EGG?

• Cake icing, egg substitutes, egg shampoo, fancy ice creams e.g., french vanilla.
• Seasonings and natural flavours may contain egg proteins which are not labelled as egg.
• Binders and fillers, batters e.g. for processed meats, poultry, surimi.
• Bread, cakes, desserts, baked goods with glazes, fancy coffee, ice cream & yogurt.
• In Europe, tablets, lozenges, eyedrops, nose drops, and non-Canadian cheese may have egg lysozyme.
• Yellow baked goods; shiny glaze on baked goods; white chocolate
• Egg white may also be used in fancy coffee to make the foam; and occasionally to clarify soup stock used for some jellied soups, consommé, broths and homemade wines and homemade root beer; lecithin is usually from soy, but occasionally may be from egg.

Egg-free Egg Replacer (check in grocery/health food stores).

Substitutes for one egg: Use either of these 3:

• 2 tbsp flour + 1/2 tbsp shortening + 1/2 tsp baking powder + 2 tbsp liquid or
• 1/2 - 1 tsp baking powder or
• 1 tsp yeast + 1/4 cup warm water.

Examples of foods to be cautious about (i.e., may contain egg)
 

Beverages	eggnog, malted beverages, root beer, Orange Juliusã drink
Breads and rolls	with eggs or crust glazed with eggs, pancakes, waffles, doughnuts, muffins, soda crackers, pretzels
Desserts	cakes, cookies, cream-filled pies, meringues, custard, ice cream, sherbet
Breaded foods	breaded meats, meatballs, meat loaf, some sausages
Noodles	egg noodles, vermicelli, macaroni, spaghetti
Salad dressings	Caesar salad, mayonnaise
Sauces	cream sauce made with eggs, e.g., hollandaise, tartar sauce, marshmallow sauce
Soups	broth, consommé, bouillon if egg added
Sweets	chocolate candies with cream fillings, marshmallow candy, divinity, fudge, cake icings
Miscellaneous	baking mixes, fritter batter, batter-fried foods, soufflé, puddings, dessert powders, egg powders or commercial egg substitutes, pet foods

Used by permission of the author.

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