Commonly asked questions, with their answers

What is lecithin and how is it derived?

Lecithin (E322) is an emulsifier normally derived from soya oil. It can also be derived from egg, although in practice this is rare. Where egg lecithin does appear, this is likely to be in pharmaceutical products or in special diet baby or infant food, but this is by no means common. Your pharmacist should be able to supply information about any items you are prescribed.

There has been concern among some people with peanut allergy that lecithin is occasionally derived from peanut oil. But SCOPA, the Seed Crushers' and Oil Processors' Association, tells us this is never the case.


Should people with soya allergy avoid lecithin?

The risk is believed to be very small, but we can offer no absolute guarantees as there has been no research published into the potential allergenicity of soya lecithin. The lecithin industry is having research carried out to find some answers.



Should people with peanut allergy avoid E471 or E472?

It is technically possible for these ingredients to be derived from peanut oil, although it's highly unlikely. Even if peanut oil was the source, the risk of an allergic reaction would be extremely low because the oil would have been refined.

Is it possible for food allergy patients to be cured with desensitising injections?

A few NHS allergy specialists offer desensitisation to people allergic to insect stings. But there is not yet a safe cure for food allergy. However, much research is in progress in this area and new treatments could emerge in the coming years. Until the research is complete the advice remains that desensitization for acute food allergy is potentially very dangerous.

Should people with nut allergy avoid coconut?

The Campaign encounters very few nut-allergic people who react to coconut, but it is difficult to give a clear-cut answer. There is little doubt that a small proportion of people with nut allergy are allergic to coconut, and that severe reactions do occasionally occur. Research from Southampton suggests that around 5-10% of those reacting to nuts are also allergic to coconut. This is probably no more likely than for any person with a tendency to become allergic and is not due to cross reactivity. A few allergy clinics offer testing for coconut allergy on request.

Should people with nut allergy avoid nutmeg?

Because of its name, many people with nut allergy believe that nutmeg must be avoided at all costs. It is possible that they are being over-cautious because there is no hard evidence to suggest that people with nut allergy are particularly at risk from nutmeg, and the incidence of nutmeg allergy is thought to be rare. However, not enough research has been carried out to be certain about how much of a problem it is. Nutmeg is the kernel of an apricot-like fruit and there is just the possibility that there might be cross-reactivity with almond, which is also a fruit kernel.

If you are allergic to nuts and have never had a reaction to nutmeg it is likely that nutmeg poses no greater risk than many other foods. However, it would be sensible to be cautious, particularly if you are allergic to almonds or other fruit kernels such as apricot.

Are nut-allergic children at risk from conkers?

A few children have reported that they break out in a localised skin rash when they handle conkers, but we are not aware of any severe reactions. A few schools have banned conkers because they have been told there is a risk to nut-allergic pupils, but this may be an over-reaction. Nevertheless it is difficult to offer a clear-cut answer and there may be a few people who do react badly to conkers. Research from Southampton suggests this is a rare problem.

Do vegetable oils pose a risk for people with allergies?

The most common oils used in the UK are derived from rapeseed, sunflower seed, soya, maize, palm, coconut and palm kernel. Where they appear in pre-packed food, these oils will have been refined and it is believed that this process removes any detectable traces of proteins. It is the protein which is believed to cause allergic reactions. Although it is impossible to be 100 per cent certain, it is highly unlikely that these oils – where they have been refined – will cause allergic reactions. However, to be absolutely certain about this, research would have to be undertaken on each oil.

Some speciality oils (e.g. sesame, hazelnut and walnut) contain unrefined oil and do present a risk.

I have a child with peanut allergy. Will his young brother develop it?

Because there is allergy in your family, there is a high chance that the younger sibling will also be prone to allergies. But these will not necessarily be severe. There is only a seven per cent risk of this second child developing peanut allergy, compared with a 1-2 per cent risk in a child from a non-allergic family.



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