This was really sad . I can imagine there is a bunch of cross-contamination in coconut cream. I'm giving away a few cans tomorrow because of that. I just read the website of the brand we used to get (of course way more $$ than the Trader Joe's brand we've been using) and it said that most coconut creams have sulfites - I wonder if he was allergic to sulfites?

They had this information in a box to the side.  Never heard it before... wonder what their source was.

QuoteSELECTIVE ALLERGY: WHY PEOPLE CAN BE ALLERGIC TO COCONUT CREAM BUT NOT THE NUT ITSELF

While reactions to coconuts are relatively rare, an allergy to products derived from the tree nut is more common.

The reasons behind this vary from person to person.

Often, it is a case of cross-reactivity.

That means the person is sensitive to a property present in a number of foods - coconut, milk, and duck eggs - that is highly concentrated when combined, for example in cream.

In other cases, the person is in fact reacting to a chemical in the product, not the coconut itself.

I too wonder about the lack of proper allergy treatment (not so much the lack of oxygen administration).  Very sad  for his family.

They referred to not being given oxygen, but I'm wondering why nothing is mentioned about epinephrine.

It doesn't make sense that he was allergic to coconut cream and not coconut. He either developed an allergy to coconut or was allergic to another ingredient.  It sounds like am adult onset allergy to something, because his widow doesn't refer to his having a Dx food allergy or an epipen.

How very sad and awful.

OMG that's scary. How horrifying for his wife and MIL.