[senior citizen]

I closed down the computer; was carrying up my laundry and had a lightbulb moment that since you did consume shellfish early on in life with no ill effects (right?) then perhaps you are now allergic to the sulfites. Years ago they probably didn't soak or spray sulfites on seafood..........

Read below. I know a lot of folks who have sulfite allergies...........
It's on more things than you might imagine........especially for those who dine out.

Asthma and Sulfite Allergies
Some people with asthma are also allergic to sulfites. An allergy is an increased sensitivity to a specific substance (called an allergen). The combination of asthma and sulfites can be dangerous. If you have asthma and sulfite allergy, eating foods or taking drugs that contain sulfites can even be life-threatening.

What Are Sulfites?


"Sulfites" is the general name for six specific substances:

• Sulfur dioxide
• Sodium sulfite
• Sodium bisulfite
• Sodium metabisulfite
• Potassium bisulfite
• Potassium metabisulfite

As additives, sulfites do many things:

• They can prevent spoilage and preserve foods -- and certain beverages -- by preventing the growth of mold and bacteria, for example.
• They can stop fruits, vegetables, and seafood from discoloring.
• They can maintain the strength of common medications -- including some asthma drugs.

Continue reading below...
Sulfites may be added to foods and beverages such as:

• Apple cider and other types of cider
• Avocado dip
• Beer and wine
• Condiments, jams, gravies, and molasses
• Dried fruits and vegetables
• Fruit and vegetable juices
• Peeled potatoes (including french fries)
• Pickled meats and vegetables
• Restaurant food and other prepared foods
• Shrimp and shellfish

Sulfites may also occur naturally in foods such as:

• Asparagus
• Chives
• Corn starch
• Eggs
• Fish, such as salmon and dried cod
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Maple syrup
• Onions
• Soy
• Tomatoes

According to federal law, sulfites cannot be added to foods that are intended to be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables. When they are used as a preservative in food preparation or processing, they must be listed as an ingredient.

Symptoms of a Sulfites Allergy


The severity of allergic reactions to sulfites can vary. Symptoms of a sulfite allergy include:

• Hives and itchiness
• Upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting
• Trouble swallowing
• Flushing
• Dizziness
• Drop in blood pressure
• Trouble breathing

The combination of asthma and sulfites can be life-threatening because it can lead to anaphylactic shock. If this occurs, the entire body reacts severely to the allergen. The airways can swell shut, making it difficult to breathe. According to the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology, as many as 5%-10% of sulfite reactions in people with asthma are fatal.
If you have signs of an allergic reaction to sulfites, get emergency help. In many cases, using your quick-relief inhaler can control your reaction.
Avoiding Problems With Asthma and Sulfite Allergy

Your doctor can tell if you have a sulfite allergy with a test called a controlled sulfite challenge. During this test, you are exposed to a small amount of sulfites under close supervision to see if you have a reaction.

If you have asthma -- and sulfites cause an allergic reaction -- you need to be very careful to avoid them. This can be tough, especially since sulfites are in many foods and drugs. And even a very small amount can cause a reaction. But here are a few things you can do.

• Read labels, checking for sulfite substances listed above.
• Be careful with foods that commonly contain sulfites. Many are listed above.
• When you eat out, ask the waiter or waitress whether the food you're ordering contains sulfites.
• Check with your doctor to make sure that the asthma drugs you use do not contain sulfites.
• Be prepared in case you do ever accidentally eat sulfites. Ask your doctor what to do in an emergency. Always carry your rescue inhaler with you.

[manaboutown]

Sulfites naturally occur in wine, too. Some vintners add more. They stop the fermentation process and stabilize the wine. One fellow I know can not touch wine because of the sulfites so he sticks to rum and coke.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Sulfites naturally occur in wine, too. Some vintners add more. They stop the fermentation process and stabilize the wine. One fellow I know can not touch wine because of the sulfites so he sticks to rum and coke.

Yes, that is true.....

[marianne237]

Thank you for all the info. I know to avoid red wines because of this type of allergy....

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by marianne237

Thank you for all the info. I know to avoid red wines because of this type of allergy....

You are very welcome. Lots of buffet type presentations do use sulfites to keep foods fresher looking.......but if one has an allergy to sulfites, it's bad news.

Why I thought of it for Gracie....was that considering she could eat seafood in her earlier years, with no problems..........the later symptoms "might" have been caused by the sulfites which the seafood had been soaked in or sulfites might have been sprayed on them...........and she might have a sulfite allergy rather than a shellfish allergy. Either one is not good.

There is a huge difference in the quality of freshly caught New England shellfish and that which is hanging around a store for a long time....or sitting on a buffet........

[CaptJohn]

That is very interesting information. Thanks for posting. I'll pass it along to a friend.

[jannd228]

Great information...thank you for posting

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by jannd228

Great information...thank you for posting

You are welcome. It got me to thinking about our various experiences....

What Is Sulfite Sensitivity?
Another look at sulfite sensitivity from WebMD.....

When I think about it......over the years, sometimes we ourselves might feel a little "different" after dining out.

Not always. But who knows? Who knows what restaurants put on their foods to keep them fresher longer.

I've always wondered why "bagged salad lettuce" sometimes has a strange smell.....and other times does not. Dole, etc.

But, even with a fresh head of romaine lettuce, one doesn�t know what lurks beneath......even after being washed.

This "idea" all began because of shellfish sensitivity which is VERY REAL.
But shellfish is one of the main foods that is soaked or treated with sulfites.

Above hyperlink explains when the FDA banned it on certain fruits....
but it still is used on dried fruits. I've been buying organic raisins.....but I know a lot of the "gift packs" one buys with dried apricots and such, do have sulfites on them...........again, for preservatives.........

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

You are welcome. It got me to thinking about our various experiences....

What Is Sulfite Sensitivity?
Another look at sulfite sensitivity from WebMD.....

When I think about it......over the years, sometimes we ourselves might feel a little "different" after dining out.

Not always. But who knows? Who knows what restaurants put on their foods to keep them fresher longer.

I've always wondered why "bagged salad lettuce" sometimes has a strange smell.....and other times does not. Dole, etc.

But, even with a fresh head of romaine lettuce, one doesn’t know what lurks beneath......even after being washed.

This "idea" all began because of shellfish sensitivity which is VERY REAL.
But shellfish is one of the main foods that is soaked or treated with sulfites.

Above hyperlink explains when the FDA banned it on certain fruits....
but it still is used on dried fruits. I've been buying organic raisins.....but I know a lot of the "gift packs" one buys with dried apricots and such, do have sulfites on them...........again, for preservatives.........

Senior when I meet you I am going to hug you senseless.

I was not clear. I am allergic to shellfish. Crab, Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp, Clams etc, anything with a SHELL. I love and frequently eat and am not allergic to just fish-fish. I CAN and do eat a LOT of Cod, Tilapia, Salmon, Catfish,Tuna, Seabass, anything without a shell. I believe that the allergy has something to do with iodine but it is now deadly. I have carried an epipen for years and don't eat any combinations served at parties or gatherings.

I was kinda hoping you would somehow present your yummy seafood bake recipe to include the fishies I can eat.

YOU are one great cook, one great mom, one very informed lady and very, very much loved by TOTV.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Senior when I meet you I am going to hug you senseless.

I was not clear. I am allergic to shellfish. Crab, Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp, Clams etc, anything with a SHELL. I love and frequently eat and am not allergic to just fish-fish. I CAN and do eat a LOT of Cod, Tilapia, Salmon, Catfish,Tuna, Seabass, anything without a shell. I believe that the allergy has something to do with iodine but it is now deadly. I have carried an epipen for years and don't eat any combinations served at parties or gatherings.

I was kinda hoping you would somehow present your yummy seafood bake recipe to include the fishies I can eat.

YOU are one great cook, one great mom, one very informed lady and very, very much loved by TOTV.

I did know what you were saying. I have friends and neighbors with shellfish allergies. Worse case scenario , it can affect your breathing.

However, you said that in the beginning you could eat that stuff with no obvious symptoms............your symptoms came years later when eating shellfish. So, I thought perhaps you were allergic to the sulfites which are commonly used to treat shellfish.

If someone caught a fresh shellfish right out of the ocean and prepared it at home, it would not have sulfites on it. Ditto for a very busy restaurant where the lobster boats come in often to deliver their fresh shellfish.....

But for those "inland" it is not fresh.....so they treat it with sulfites which do affect those with allergies.

I know of no baked "plain fish" casserole.......but you could experiment.

The fish we had in Maine had no seafood odor at all....nor taste.
That's how fresh it was. The only thing I did not like was the deep fried calamari which my hubby ordered once as an appetizer.......a bit chewy.

My dad's mom used to always have baby octopus and squid in jars....yuck.
Breaded calamari was one of the "seven fishes" on Christmas Eve.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

I did know what you were saying. I have friends and neighbors with shellfish allergies. Worse case scenario , it can affect your breathing.

However, you said that in the beginning you could eat that stuff with no obvious symptoms............your symptoms came years later when eating shellfish. So, I thought perhaps you were allergic to the sulfites which are commonly used to treat shellfish.

If someone caught a fresh shellfish right out of the ocean and prepared it at home, it would not have sulfites on it. Ditto for a very busy restaurant where the lobster boats come in often to deliver their fresh shellfish.....

But for those "inland" it is not fresh.....so they treat it with sulfites which do affect those with allergies.

I know of no baked "plain fish" casserole.......but you could experiment.

The fish we had in Maine had no seafood odor at all....nor taste.
That's how fresh it was. The only thing I did not like was the deep fried calamari which my hubby ordered once as an appetizer.......a bit chewy.

My dad's mom used to always have baby octopus and squid in jars....yuck.
Breaded calamari was one of the "seven fishes" on Christmas Eve.

It is a theory in my own mind just because we did NOT have ocean fish of any kind when I was a kid because there was no good way to transport it back in the the early 40's to Ohio. We had local fish, but I didn't eat crawdads. We grew up back then eating quite differently based on what was readily available around us. You said you hadn't anyone in the family with shellfish allergy and I was guessing it COULD be that they were given shellfish to eat early on as small children and their bodies were used to it. I had my first taste of shellfish EVER in my late twenties and I had minor itchys and swelling of lips and eyes over time and it got progressively worse until I had a very serious reaction and was warned to NOT eat it again.

I don't know why. I know that it is dangerous and MAY have to do with Idodine. I do not allow myself to have any medical tests that have iodine, just to be on the safe side. I know of someone who had died of allergic reaction to the drug injected for a kidney scan and I think it was iodine.