Today, Vicki, a friend and foodie, shares with you the hidden dangers in the food we eat for her six year old niece, Katie, who was born with a severe Peanut Allergy. You may think it is easy to stay away from peanuts but as Vicki knows all to well it is surprisingly difficult.   She asked me to help spread the word about the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network's (FAAN) fall walk-a-thons aimed at raising money for research to help cure and prevent food allergies.  As FAAN says "In the past five years, peanut allergy in children has doubled. The estimated number of Americans with food allergy has increased from 6 million to approximately 12 million, and we don't know why." Check out the walk-a-thon calendar to see if one will be near you.

I'll let Vicki explain why this is so important:

A Dinner to die for...

By Vicki

How about a nice dinner of pasta with pesto, a side of carrots and peas, and a nice slice of chocolate torte for dessert?  Delightful for all, except those suffering from an allergy to peanuts.  For them, any one of those dishes could cause a serious reaction including anaphylaxis, a serious - and sometimes deadly - reaction to allergens.  Now if you're thinking "Wait!  None of those dishes contain peanuts." you're right.  But, for those suffering from peanut allergies, the mere presence of the proteins from peanuts is dangerous; and most of those dishes may well contain them.

While a peanut allergy is just that - an allergy to peanuts only - many tree nuts, and even chocolate, are processed in plants where the machinery is also used in processing peanuts.  The residual proteins cause cross-contamination of the otherwise innocent food items, removing them from the diet of those allergic.  Additionally, peanuts aren't nuts at all, but rather a member of the legume family, which includes peas and beans.

Here's a little quiz to expose just how rampant the problem is.

1) How about nice bowl of pomme frites (or "French Fries" for the Francophobes) with ketchup?

Bzzzt.  Oddly enough, ketchup is often thickened with peanut butter, so cross that off of your list.

2) A wee bit of vanilla ice cream?

Nope.  Most ice cream's also processed in plants that process nuts.

3) Starting your morning with a bowl of raisin bran?

Sorry; more production plant cross-contamination.

4) Chocolate?

You guessed it.  Same issues.  While not all products are contaminated, you'll seriously need to read the label.

5) How about that next flight of fancy on a commercial airline?

Hopefully there weren't peanuts served on the previous flight.  However, even those dandy pretzels are processed in plants where nuts were previous residents.

A bit of bright news is that in January 2006, the United States government mandated that allergic information must now be printed on all packaging.

Why do I care?  My six year old niece Katie has this allergy.  I've been to the emergency room with her more times than I care to admit. 

If you live in Baltimore join in on the walk-a-thon on October 6th and keep an eye out for Katie who will participate as part of the 'No Nuts! Team'.

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) will have several walk-a-thon's throughout the country learn all about it here.