Nexus - 1105 - New Times Magazine-pages

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61 cases of severe reactions to food, of which five were fatal, and Controversy has raged since the 1920s as to whether or not found that peanut, soy and tree nuts caused 45 of the 61 reactions. babies could be sensitised to allergens while still in utero. In 1976, Of the five deaths, four were attributed to soy. The four children researchers learned that the foetus is capable of producing IgE who died from soy had known allergies to peanuts but not to soy. antibodies against soy protein during early gestation, and The amount of soy eaten ranged from one gram to 10 grams— newborns can be so sensitised through the breastmilk of the mother typical of the low levels found when soy protein is used as a that they later react to foods they've "never eaten".*** Families meat-extending additive in ready-made foods such as hamburgers, who need to take these precautions seriously include those with meatballs, spaghetti sauces, kebabs and sausages or as an extender known peanut and/or soy allergies, vegetarians who would in breads and pastries. otherwise eat a lot of soy foods during pregnancy or breastfeeding, When soy is "hidden" in hamburgers and other "regular" foods, and parents considering the use of soy infant formula. people often miss the soy connection. And allergic reactions to Because the numbers of children with allergies to peanuts are soy do not always occur immediately, making cause and effect increasing, we can expect to see greater numbers of children and even harder to establish. As reported in the Swedish study, no adults reacting severely to soy. Peanuts and soybeans are mem- symptoms—or very mild symptoms—occurred for 30 to 90 min- bers of the same botanical family, the grain—-legume type, and sci- utes after the consumption of the food containing soy; then the entists have known for years that people allergic to one are often children suffered fatal asthma attacks. All had been able to eat allergic to the other. soy without any adverse reactions right up Other children at risk for an undetected until the dinner that caused their deaths. but potentially life-threatening soy allergy The Swedish study was not the first to include those with allergies to peas, lima report "fatal events" after eating soy. Food beans or other beans, a diagnosis of asthma, anaphylaxis is most often associated with rhinitis, eczema or dermatitis, or family reactions to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish and members with a history of any of those dis- occasionally fish or milk, but soy has its eases. Reactions to foods in the same botan- own rap sheet. Anaphylactic reactions to ical family can be cumulative, resulting in bread, pizzas or sausage extended with soy symptoms far more severe than either protein date a at least ° nan Allergic reactions alone.** ubsequent studies have confirmed that the d risk may be rare but is very real.'"° to soy ao not SOY'S ALLERGENIC PROTEINS ; te imereasing amount vr ne soy always occur Scientists ue not completely certain which in the food supply is undoubtedly responsi- . . components of soy cause allergic reactions. ble for triggering many allergic reactions immediately, They have found at least 16 allergenic pro- not attributed to soy. French researchers who studied the frequency of anaphylactic shocks caused by foods reported that the food allergen remained unknown in 25 per cent of cases. They noted the prevalence of "hidden" and "masked" food allergens and stated that they saw "a strikingly increased prevalence of food-induced anaphylactic shock in 1995 compared to a previous study from 1982".?! This period coincided with a huge increase in the amount of soy protein teins, and some researchers pinpoint as many as 25 to 30. Laboratories report immune system responses to multiple fractions of the soy protein, with no particular fraction being the most con- sistently antigenic, i.e., capable of causing the production of an anti- body. Some of the most allergenic fractions appear to be the Kunitz and Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitors. Food processors have tried in vain to deactivate these troublesome proteins added to processed foods. (In fact, completely without irreparably the amount has continued to rise. Per damaging the remainder of the soy capita consumption of soy protein increased from 0.78 g/day in protein (see chapter 12). Having failed to accomplish this, the soy 1998 to 2.23 g/day in 2002, according to industry estimates industry has decided to promote these "antinutrients" as cancer obtained by the Solae Company which, in March 2004, filed a preventers. To date, its proof remains slim, although cancer petition seeking FDA approval of a health claim for soy protein statistics might improve if enough people died from anaphylactic making cause and effect even harder to establish. and cancer reduction.”") shock first. None of these studies has attracted much media attention. Nor Although extremely rare, death from allergic reaction to trypsin have health agencies issued alerts. For example, Ingrid inhibitor has been a matter of public record since the New Malmheden Yman, PhD, of the Sweden National Food England Journal of Medicine carried a report in 1980.*** The Administration and co-author of the study, wrote to the Ministry Kunitz trypsin inhibitor has been identified as one of three allergic of Health in New Zealand at the request of an allergy sufferer. components in soy lecithin—a soy product often considered Two years before the article (first published in Swedish) came out hypoallergenic (i.e., it has diminished potential for causing an in English, she informed the agency that children with severe allergic reaction) because it is not supposed to include any soy allergy to peanut should avoid intake of soy protein. To be on the _ protein, but invariably contains trace amounts.” safe side, she further advised parents to make an effort to "avoid Soybean lectin—another antinutrient now promoted as a dis- sensitisation" by limiting consumption of both peanuts and soy- ease preventer—has also been identified as an allergen. *° beans during the third trimester of pregnancy and during breast- Whenever there is a damaged intestinal lining or "leaky gut", soy feeding, and by avoiding the use of soy formula.” lectins can easily pass into the bloodstream, triggering allergic Controversy has raged since the 1920s as to whether or not babies could be sensitised to allergens while still in utero. In 1976, researchers learned that the foetus is capable of producing IgE antibodies against soy protein during early gestation, and newborns can be so sensitised through the breastmilk of the mother that they later react to foods they've "never eaten".** Families who need to take these precautions seriously include those with known peanut and/or soy allergies, vegetarians who would otherwise eat a lot of soy foods during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and parents considering the use of soy infant formula. Because the numbers of children with allergies to peanuts are increasing, we can expect to see greater numbers of children and adults reacting severely to soy. Peanuts and soybeans are mem- bers of the same botanical family, the grain—-legume type, and sci- entists have known for years that people allergic to one are often allergic to the other. atad to Soy do not always occur immediately, making cause and effect even harder to establish. 26 = NEXUS Allergic reactions www.nexusmagazine.com AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2004