Lupin Flour Allergy (BBC)

[Guest guest]

This may be of interest if anyone has nut allergy. In Britain I

believe Plamil use lupin flour in their chocolate replacement bars.

 

Lupin flour 'poses allergy risk'

 

Lupin flour is used in some baked products

People who are allergic to peanuts may also be at risk of severe

allergy to lupin flour, research suggests.

Lupin flour is used in some European countries as a replacement for

soya in speciality breads and catering foods, some of which are now

reaching the UK.

 

The researchers said people with peanut allergy - about 1% of the UK

population - should avoid any products containing it until they had

another allergy test.

 

The study, by the Royal Free Hospital, London, is published in The

Lancet.

 

The Royal Free team highlighted the case of a 25-year-old woman who,

in August 2004, had an allergic reaction after eating a restaurant

meal of chicken, French-fried potato, and onion rings.

 

During the meal, her mouth itched and her lips and tongue started to

swell.

 

Fifteen minutes later she was having difficulty breathing, her throat

had narrowed, and she felt very weak.

 

An ambulance was called, anaphylaxis - a life-threatening allergic

reaction - was diagnosed, and she required emergency hospital

treatment before making a full recovery.

 

The woman knew she had a severe allergy to peanuts after a reaction

to a peanut sweet when she was 15.

 

However, peanut contamination of her food was considered unlikely.

 

Lupin flour, an ingredient of the onion ring batter, was eventually

identified as the cause of her attack.

 

Growing problem

 

The prevalence of lupin allergy has increased markedly in some

countries, especially France, which permitted the addition of lupin

flour to wheat flour in 1997.

 

 

One in 50 children in England is allergic to peanuts

Although the food use of lupin has been permitted in the UK since

1996, few lupin-containing foods are so far on sale.

 

A new directive on food labelling came into force in Europe in

November 2004, requiring food manufacturers to specifically list 12

potential allergic ingredients.

 

However, lupin flour was not included on this list, despite

recommendation from the UK-based Institute of Food Science and

Technology.

 

Researcher Dr Michael Radcliffe said: " Further work will be required

to establish the prevalence and significance of lupin allergy.

 

" Meanwhile those with peanut allergy appear to be at particular risk

as up to half may be pre-sensitised.

 

" They should be advised to avoid all products containing lupin until

they can be specially tested. "

 

David Reading, of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, told the BBC News website

it was important the potential problem was flagged up now, before

lupin flour-based products became more widespread in the UK.

 

" We are aware of a handful of cases where people have almost

certainly reacted to lupin flour, but thankfully it is small problem

at the moment because only a small number of products contain the

flour, " he said.