Mustard Allergy?

I've never heard of mustard allergy. I bet you never have either. Neither had Carol Evans.

Carol Evans knew her daughter had a peanut allergy. When Emily was 10 months old, she developed hives after touching peanut butter. What the mother of three never expected was that her youngest was also deathly allergic to mustard. Like many Americans, Evans never heard of a mustard allergy. That was until Emily almost died.

The story at the Boston Globe site by John Guilfoil gives some background information.

"Mustard allergy is just as dangerous as any food allergy," said Dr. Michael Young, assistant professor at Harvard Medical school who specializes in food allergy. "Mustard, peanut, egg -- these are all allergies that have to be carefully managed."

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Mustard allergy is a growing concern in Europe. A 2003 article in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology claimed mustard was the fourth most prevalent food allergen in children, behind eggs, peanuts, and milk. Exposure can lead to anaphylaxis; the best "treatment" is to avoid mustard altogether.

Since 2005, European countries have required manufacturers to clearly label foods that contain mustard, according to the British Food Standards Agency website. No such requirement exists in the United States.

"The FDA makes the [labeling] decision, and they've chosen to label the eight most common food allergies: milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish," Young said. "I think it's a shame... but they feel they have to draw the line somewhere."

The only way the FDA will change the labeling is if enough people make it known to them that the lack of information is a problem. You can also contact your representatives in Congress - by mail is best - to alert them to issues.

You can find out the current state of the laws and issues concerning allergens and foods at the FDA's Information about Food Allergens page.