Alpro Soya "Nut-gate"

The Interwebs are currently buzzing with the news that Alpro Soya are now printing warnings of potential hazelnut and almond contamination in their soya products as they are altering sites for production of their dairy free alternative milks. Understandably, there is an outcry as many who avoid dairy products choose soya as their dairy substitute and are also allergic to nuts. Alpro responded to concerns on the Allergy UK website. Certainly their measures sound as stringent as anything any parent of an allergic child can achieve by any other means but there are always those who will be affected. This is a production choice Alpro have made and they may indeed lose customers because of it. However, I sincerely believe the bigger issue is being ignored here.

In an increasingly allergic world there are as many combinations of allergies in individuals as there are allergic people. And any reliance on only one substitute can precipitate issues including new allergic responses. The reliance of the dairy free industry on soya is not a long term option, far too many people have IgE and non IgE responses to Soya - and it is one of the "Big Four" to avoid  according to many health professionals. Certainly Gt Ormond Street Hospital advise going "MEWS free" as an important first step when embarking on exclusion diets. (MEWS = Milk, egg, wheat and soy)

Undoubtedly Allergic Disease is almost epidemic at present with the UK topping the world table of incidence of allergic disease. More about that here, information learned when I attended the All Party Group for Allergy at Westminster this Autumn. We should not be complacent in our careful replacement of major allergens from our own or (especially not) from our children's diets. Fortification of alternatives (e.g. calcium and Vitamin D in milk alternatives) is essential, as is careful pricing of worthwhile products, support for new producers and accurate information for consumers. The fact that yet another producer appears to have caved to the litigation-prevention soft option is not good news. It seems a massive fob-off for those shopping for exclusion diets - avoiding the issue of careful checking and stringent manufacturing processes. Or does it?

Pollo alla Cacciatoria

Another savoury recipe from Michelle at Fabed.
Some of the ingredients might not suit you but many of them you can adapt.

Ingredients:-

• 1 x 15ml tbs spoon of oil which is safe(I use garlic oil) 
• 75g pancetta cubes 
• 6 spring onions finely sliced 
• 1 tsp rosemary finely chopped (if tolerated if not use a herb which is) 
• 500g turkey or chicken fillets( i use turkey but have made it with Chicken also) 
• 1/2 tsp celery salt 
• 125ml white wine( I replace it with homemade stock) 
• 1 x 400g chopped tomatoes 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1/2 tsp sugar 
• 1x 400g can cannellini beans ( I use chickpeas as we can all tolerate them) optional 

Method:-

• Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and fry the pancetta cubes, sliced spring onions and chopped rosemary for a couple of minutes. 
• Add the poultry (which ever you are using) and sprinkle celery salt 
• Pour in wine/stock and let it bubble before adding the tomatoes, bay leaves and sugar. 
• Put the lid on and let the pan simmer for 20 mins. 
• Drain the beans/peas if using and add to the pan. 
• When warmed through serve. 

Serves 4

"Free From" Food Industry Exposed

Tonight's "The One Show" exposes the urban myths about "Free From" food. 

It's about time someone blew the whistle on the booming food industry in the West supplying "Free From food for those diagnosed with food allergies and intolerances and I was delighted that the BBC has chosen to highlight this industry. One of the main reasons I set up the "Recipe Resource" was precisely because of this surge in "Free From" products which seemed to be exempt from the increasingly high nutritional standards we have come to expect from the food we buy. I couldn't bring myself to feed my children the majority of the food on offer which was compatible with their medically prescribed exclusion diet.

 As I've said for years, so much of this food is poor quality, full of cheap non-food fillers like corn starch which can mess with your insulin production and blood sugar regulation in the long term, causing hypos in many on restricted diets. Sugar and salt content is often higher too, to disguise the lack of natural flavour. It's why I won't buy anything I can make myself - but we are lucky that the twins can tolerate more than many people I know.

Many people falsely believe "Free From" food is automatically healthier too. This is of course true in some respects, if you have Coeliac Disease then yes, a gluten free loaf (a third the size of a regular one costing £2.99) IS the healthier option but I do hate the trend for "free from" exclusion diets amongst some celebrities who have little or no idea of the impact publicising false health "benefits" can have. But what is particularly depressing is that my children, like so many other children and adults are dependent on the "allergy" food industry to meet their nutritional needs - whether partially or fully. We have no choice. Without a strict exclusion diet my son was heading towards bowel surgery due to chronic inflammation and resultant nerve damage due to local allergic reaction to foods. It is a medically prescribed diet which we have no choice but to follow, but this should not also be a nutritional compromise when we pay over and above the cost of similar regular foods.

It's time we had some real regulations, respect for those who are genuinely allergic and provision for healthy alternatives. There are many reasons why people exclude foods from their diet. IgE allergies, non-IgE gut allergies and intolerances are perhaps the most common, but whatever the reason those purchasing such foods need honest selling and deserve a basic nutritional standard. Manufacturing"Free From" food is a massive money spinner and people are being taken advantage of. At present we are being sold such food as if we should just be grateful. How about selling it for its content, what IS in it rather than what left out?

I've been saying all this for years.