Sesame Seed- Shared Lines

[anon]

My DS has multiple allergies (peanut, egg, tree nut) AND a severe sesame allergy.  We were recently at Dr. Wood and he somewhat down- played the danger of cross-reactivity with sesame because he said in his experience one had to eat a lot of sesame to have a reaction so one or two leftover seeds is not the kind of quantity that would trigger a reaction. (This is if I understood him correctly, please don't take that to the bank!).  In particular, he was saying that we did not necessarily need to keep breads off our list just because the company also makes a sesame variety.  I have always been extremely vigilant with all allergens and we do not currently allow "same facility" products for my DS. 

I am interested to hear what others do with sesame allergy.  In other words, do you let your DC eat products that are made in the same facility as sesame? Thanks!

[CMdeux]

Wow.

I'm very surprised that so prominent an allergist would downplay sesame, of all things.

Does your child have a very specific reaction history with sesame??  Or is it that s/he skin/blood tests as allergic?

If it's the latter, I'd be asking for a food challenge if my child were >~4yo.  Sesame is one that, like peanut and treenuts, seems to be pretty potent as an allergen.

The threshold dose required for people who are really allergic is VERY small.  Certainly way less than a sesame seed or two.



It does sound like the kind of advice that might be given to parents who had a child with an elevated RAST but no specific reaction history, however.  We were in that camp for many years until we finally challenged sesame informally (we live near a hospital, though, and have a LOT of experience, so this is what our allergist recommended we try-- DD had previously eaten sesame in hummus and other foods before testing as allergic to it).

We never went to any real lengths to avoid traces, basically following the same sort of advice you seem to have been given.

I know several members of this community who HAVE had reactions to foods when using that kind of strategy, though, I'm afraid to say.  So it doesn't seem to be a very good idea for someone who is actually allergic.

[LinksEtc]

DD's allergist advised us to stay away from "same equipment" and "same facility". 

I don't want to set a bad example ... people should follow their doctor's advice .... but I sometimes give her same facility foods.  I do call companies, I'm around when she eats what I consider to be slightly higher risk foods, and I only do this if I'm comfortable with their cleaning procedures.  Overall, I do a lot of effort to avoid cross-contaminated food.

I've definitely heard of sesame-allergic people reacting from cross-contamination, sometimes severely. 

Like CM, I would be so surprised if he downplayed sesame.  I really don't know what to think about this ... 


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ETA - I just wanted to remind anyone reading that voluntary advisory warnings are not standardized and that a "shared facility" warning does not signify less risk than a "shared equipment" warning.  Allergists generally recommend that food-allergic consumers avoid products with advisory warnings regarding their allergen(s).

[anon]

OP here: Thanks PPs.  I agree that I don't know what to make of Dr. Wood's comments and, as I said before, maybe it was specific to my DS or I read too much into what he was saying.  Do please don't change anything because of my original post!

My intent is to survey others, nothing more.  Any other thoughts welcome.

[SilverLining]

I react to trace amounts.  I react badly to trace amounts.

[SilverLining]

I was looking for alink to add, but it may have disappeared since the Canadian government has made some labeling law changes.

There had been discussion about allergen labelling, and some copanies did not want to have to treat sesmae like peanut because not as many people are allergic to sesame as there are allergic to sesame.  However, because a reaction to sesame is often life-threatening, and the amount required so minimal, the government (and people in general) wanted the precautions taken with sesame.

[lakeswimr]

DS has had serious reactions to products made on shared equip with sesame, way less than one or two stray seeds.  Sesame has the same super potency of peanuts so I don't understand his advice.