Egg-Free Diet

Maternal and Child Program Egg-Free Diet

An egg-free diet is for people who are allergic to eggs. This diet is free of all eggs and foods made with eggs.

What is an egg allergy? An egg allergy is when the immune system reacts to egg proteins. The main proteins that cause an egg allergy are those found in egg whites. Proteins in egg yolks can also cause an egg allergy. It is very difficult to separate the egg yolk egg white from What should I do if I have an allergic the egg yolk, so if you have an egg reaction to eggs? allergy, do not Try to prevent allergic reactions by staying away eat egg whites or egg whites from eggs and foods made with eggs. Talk to your egg yolks. doctor as soon as possible about medicines you can take if you have an allergic reaction. When you bake an egg, such as in a muffin or cake, the proteins can change. The egg needs to be baked in an oven at a temperature of at least 350°F to 375°F, for at least 30 minutes to change the What are the possible signs of proteins. Some people do not react to eggs baked an allergy? this way. Talk to your allergist or doctor to see if Signs or symptoms of an allergy can be: you can eat baked eggs. • A flushed face, hives or a rash, red and itchy skin What will happen if I eat eggs? • Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat If you eat eggs, you will get symptoms of an allergic and tongue reaction. After the symptoms are gone, you will • Trouble breathing, speaking, or swallowing not react again, unless you eat eggs, or foods made with eggs, again. Reactions can be very severe. It • Feeling anxious, distressed, faint, sense of is possible to have a life-threatening (anaphylactic) doom, weak, pale reaction to eggs. • Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting • A drop in blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat, loss of consciousness.

Form # 001175 © 2004_03 REV 2016_10 www.hrh.ca What foods and drinks should I What ingredients should I stay stay away from? away from? These foods are made with eggs. Do not eat A food has egg in it if it has any of the following these foods. ingredients. Read the ingredient lists on all Angel food cake Fritters food packages. Do not eat foods that contain any of these ingredients: Béarnaise sauce Hollandaise sauce Albumen Lecithin Cream pies Mayonnaise Albumin Livetin Custard Meringue Any word containing Lysozyme Divinity candy Meringue pies ‘ovo’ or ‘albumin’ Ovalbumin Donuts Muffins Conalbumin Ovoglobulin Egg Beaters® Newburg sauce Dried egg Ovomucin Eggnog Nougat candy Egg Ovomucoid Egg noodles Omelet Eggs from chicken, Ovolactohydrolyze Egg substitutes, Pancakes duck, goose, hen, protein including: Pavlova quail, or other poultry • Just Egg Whites Ovovitellin Quiche Egg protein • Simply Egg Whites™ Ovomacroglobulin Soufflé Egg substitutes • NaturEgg Break- Ovotransferrin Tartar sauce Egg yolk free™ Pasteurized egg Waffles Egg white Egg whirl soup Silico-albuminate Wonton soup Frozen egg French toast Simplesse Globulin Vitellin

What foods might be made with eggs? Read the ingredient list on all foods. The following foods might be made with eggs, so be extra careful before you eat them: Baked goods Battered and Caesar salad ice cream) Imitation Pasta (including fried foods dressing Egg and fat meats Salad dressings some types Baking powder Cake icing substitutes Ovaltine® Sherbet of bread) and Bread Cream-filled Fried rice Mayonnaise baking mixes Stuffed pasta desserts (such Buns Hot dogs Packaged Lasagna as pudding or dessert mixes

Page 2 Humber River Hospital Is there anything else I have to stay When baking, what can I use instead away from if I have an egg allergy? of eggs? Egg yolks and egg whites are added to many foods. In recipes, you can replace eggs with other Sometimes, you can see the egg yolk or egg whites ingredients. It is best to replace eggs with other that are in foods. However, there are times that ingredients when the recipe only needs 1 or 2 eggs. egg yolks and egg whites are used in foods, but In any recipe, replace 1 egg with ONE of you cannot see them. the following:

Be careful when you eat any of • 5 ml (1 tsp) egg-free baking powder + 25 ml these foods: (1½ tbsp) water + 25 ml (1½ tbsp) oil OR Candy, Cake or Desserts • 5 ml (1 tsp) egg-free baking powder + 15 ml • Some candy, cake or desserts may have (1 tbsp) water + 15 ml (1 tbsp) vinegar egg whites brushed onto them to make OR them shine. • 60 g (2 oz) tofu Meatloaf, Sausages, Hamburgers, Breaded OR Meat or Chicken • 75 ml (1/3 cup) apple juice • Some meats may use eggs to help things stick together. OR • 60 ml (4 tbsp) pureed apricot Soup, Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks OR • These liquids may contain eggs to help make it clear. • ½ large mashed banana

If I cannot eat eggs, do I need Can I eat foods that do not have an supplements or vitamins? ingredient list? There are a number of foods, drinks and If you are allergic to eggs, it is best not to eat any ingredients that you should not eat if you have an food unless you are sure that it does not have eggs egg allergy. in it. If you eat a wide variety of egg-free foods and Be extra careful with foods from bakeries or drinks, you probably do not need vitamins. If you restaurants, or foods made by friends and relatives, do not eat a variety of egg-free foods, you might be as there is no way to be sure if they use eggs or missing some nutrition. ingredients made with eggs.

If you have questions about a food, get more If you are worried about your nutrition, speak information before you eat it by contacting to a Registered Dietitian who can help you the company. with your eating and diet.

Humber River Hospital Page 3 Where can I get more information? Safety Tips There is a lot of information available on the internet • Always carry your auto-injector device about food allergies. Be careful because some of the with you. If you do not have your auto- information may not be exactly true. The following injector with you, for your safety, we is a list of reliable websites that can give you more recommend that you do not eat until information about food allergies. you have it available. ALLERGY/ASTHMA INFORMATION ASSOCIATION • If the label reads ‘may contain:’ or www.aaia.ca ‘contains:’ egg or egg derivative, do not eat it. When in doubt, do not eat it. CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY (CFIA) www.inspection.gc.ca • Tell everyone you know that you have an egg allergy. Make sure that people CANADIAN SOCIETY OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL close to you know what to do if you IMMUNOLOGY have a reaction to eggs. www.csaci.ca • For children, tell daycare staff, DIETITIANS OF CANADA babysitters and the school that your www.dietitians.ca child has an egg allergy. Tell them what to do if they have an allergic reaction. EATRIGHT ONTARIO • Teach a child with an egg allergy not to www.eatrightontario.ca share food. FOOD ALLERGY CANADA www.foodallergycanada.ca

FOOD ALLERGY RESEARCH & EDUCATION You are on a Special Diet. www.foodallergy.org If your family or friends are planning to provide you with food from home while HEALTH CANADA you are in the hospital, please make sure www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/allerg/fa-aa/index-eng. they check with a member of the health php care team first.

The information provided in this handout is for educational purposes. It does not replace the advice or specific instructions from your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat. If you have questions about your own care, please speak with your healthcare provider.

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