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Food Packaging Containing Latex May Trigger An Allergic Reaction
It is important to label the Food packaging that contains latex, which will certainly prevent the allergic to avoid contact. A novel study conducted in the UK showed that nearly a third of food packaging was containing unhealthy levels of latex, and in a certain chocolate biscuit, the quantity of latex was so high to have triggered an allergic reaction.
A group of experts from the UK Latex Allergy Support Group (LASG) Advisory Panel said that these results were significant. 'For a few people, natural rubber latex is a very potent allergen and for these individuals, there is no safe level of exposure,' says LASG representative Graham Lowe. 'We would welcome an approach to the EU to consider this evidence and the issue of labelling,' he said. Lowe added that latex transfer to food could account for some currently inexplicable reactions.There is no agreement on a safe level of latex, but it has been reported that a billionth of a gram (1ng/ml) can be enough to cause a reaction. Currently manufacturers are not required to label food packaging as containing latex. Scientists at Leatherhead Food International measured the presence of four major latex allergens in 21 types of food packaging for confectionary, fruit and vegetable produce, meat, pastry and dairy products. A third of the materials tested gave positive results for the presence of latex and in some cases this was transferred onto the food (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture DOI 10/1002/jsfa.2580).
The highest levels of latex allergens were found in a chocolate biscuit containing nearly 20ng/ml. The wrapper contained 85ng/ml of latex. The highest levels in packaging were detected in ice cream wrappers, with over 370ng/ml found in one sample. The ice cream itself contained around 14ng/ml. One company admitted spraying whole wrappers with latex adhesive, so that they could be sealed with minimum wastage.
A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency, which funded this study, said food-labelling guidelines were designed to avoid restriction of choice due to excess use of warning labels. 'Advisory labeling should only be used when, following a thorough risk assessment, there is a real risk of allergic reactions,' they said. The Leatherhead study is the first attempt to quantify the latex allergens present in food contact materials and also in foods.
Between 1-6% of the British population suffer from latex allergies. Latex is used in many food packaging materials, including rubber bands, meat netting, stickers found on some fruit and vegetables and the adhesive used for cold sealing of confectionary.
Source : Eureka Alert
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Latex Allergy: 'A Balloon Could Kill Me'
Liz Knight can no longer read a newspaper or touch the buttons on her remote controls, because they both contain latex
Balloons are a common sight at children's birthdays, weddings, restaurants and shops. But Liz Knight has spent most of her life avoiding them because coming into contact with one could kill her.
As a child, Liz was allergic to dust, animal hair and feathers. By the age of 12, doctors found she was also allergic to human hair. Her long blonde ponytail was duly cut off into a short, cropped style that wouldn't cause any irritation.
It didn't stop there - the extent of her allergies only grew and some of her earliest memories involve being isolated because of them.
"We went to visit a relative when I was four; I think it was an aunt or a great-aunt of mine. She had a budgie - everyone seemed to have them in the 60s and 70s - and I was really bad with any type of feathers.
"I can remember we parked up in the drive, my parents went in with my two sisters, and I couldn't go in. The budgie meant I had to stay in the car on my own. It made me feel very left out - I couldn't do what normal people do."
Liz had to have her long blonde hair chopped off
Liz, from Paignton in Devon, has suffered with irritated skin her whole life. In her 20s, her eczema got infected and led to septicaemia, which left her hospitalised for weeks. But it wasn't until the 1990s, when she was at a fair with her family, that she suspected a latex allergy.
"One of my daughters handed me a handful of these great, big, thick helium balloons and asked me if I could hold them while she ran off to do something. I must have touched my face after holding them because that's when this dramatic swelling started."
Liz, now 56, believes she developed the allergy by repeated exposure to latex from going to the doctors so much, which exposed her already fragile skin to the material.
Her everyday life has been impacted in a multitude of ways. She can no longer read a newspaper, because the ink contains latex. It is the same with the buttons on remote controls, the handle of her carving knife, her blender, mixer and hairdryer, all of which are covered with cling film so she can still use them.
Whenever there are road-works nearby, Liz has to keep her doors and windows closed because the road surface also contains latex. She says she often feels like a prisoner in her own home.
"I often feel trapped. Sometimes I stay at home for up to a week, just because it's safe."
She has to cover her remote controls with cling film because the buttons contain latex
Then four years ago, Liz got confirmation of what she was dreading: her latex allergy had gone airborne. She had walked into a shop with her husband during the winter and her lips instantly swelled and she broke out in hives.
"I went straight back outside and said, 'I don't know what's in there, but something's making me feel really bad'."
They looked back and saw six balloons tied around a stand at the back of the shop. In that case, the latex proteins had been circulating through the heating system. But Liz's allergy is so severe that even if a room has had a balloon in it in the past 48 hours - especially if it has popped - she might have a severe reaction because the latex proteins could still be in the air.
Most reactions cause her to start sweating, her lips swell and she has a feeling of "impending doom". She can normally handle the symptoms by leaving the area, going outside and letting herself recover - although it can take hours to get back to normal.
What is a latex allergy?
Source: NHS, British Association of Dermatologists, Globalaai
One recent reaction at her home, however, was more extreme, and left her in serious trouble.
"A few months ago I made a sweet and sour dish using a sachet that had 2% pineapple juice. Within about 15 minutes of eating it I could feel my tongue swelling, and then my throat started going a bit funny. My tongue was getting worse and worse."
Tropical fruits have proteins that are almost identical to the latex protein, and often produce a very similar reaction. She used her Epipen, a self-administered injection of adrenaline which slows the effects of allergic reactions.
Liz was monitored in hospital for several hours to make sure she didn't have a biphasic reaction - a delayed reaction comparable to the aftershocks following an earthquake - and ultimately the symptoms died down.
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Liz's allergies have had an effect on many aspects of her mental health. Her social circle has "drastically shrunk" and she had to quit an exercise group she attended for years because of the latex in mats, trainers and aerosol sprays.
She has also had to give up her work at a pharmacy due to repeated reactions which were endangering her health, and now feels guilty that she can't contribute financially at home.
Despite all of this, Liz says she's determined not to let her latex allergy completely take over her life. "I can walk, I can do and see things, and I've got to be grateful for the things I do have."
Liz regularly breaks out in hives when she has a reaction
Globalaai was formed in 2016 after its founder, Dr Pooja Newman, had an anaphylactic shock at a concert in Melbourne. A surprise balloon drop left her in intensive care for nearly a week and inspired her to raise awareness of latex allergies around the world.
While recovering, she made a Facebook page to tell her story and the non-profit organisation was founded.
"Part of the reason for this charity is to recognise the trauma people suffer as a result of an anaphylactic event and the issues around feeling discriminated or not included in everyday life," said Dr Newman.
The organisation has developed Epipen stations in public places and has supported the ban of latex gloves in food preparation in several US states, as well as a proposed restriction of balloons in public spaces in Australia.
Liz's work with the group has seen progress in Paignton, with many shops changing their practices on her advice. While recognising the many ways in which her allergies limit her life, Liz's outlook remains positive.
"When it feels really unfair I get a bit depressed about it I suppose, but there's always that feeling that it could be worse. I try to talk to as many people as possible about latex allergies. The more people that know about it, the more things can change.
"I'm determined not to let allergies take away everything in my life, and I'll work to improve things, not just for me, but for other people as well."
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